Transcendence
by Firesword
Summary: It's the summer of '97. Harry is about to spend his holidays with his secret second godfather. But something quite accidental occurred during the Leaving Feast, which shocked the entire school, except for the Headmaster himself. COMPLETED
1. The end of summer term

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Author's notes:

This is the more detailed summary:

Warning! Story will contain SLASH pairings! A Post-OOTP fic. The students are about to spend their summer holidays of the year 1997. Harry has just finished his sixth year in Hogwarts. He had undergone a lot of personality changes since the death of his godfather, Sirius Black. One who was always ready to give a somewhat shy smile was now a solemn, reserved young man and was just about ready to become a hermit-- or so someone thinks. Chapter 1: During the feast that marks the end of school year, a somewhat disturbing secret has been unearthed. 

**_Firesword: This was written because it had been milling about in my in my mind as I was completing 'Purpose'. You can find the link to that story by clicking on my username (if u wanna read it). By the way, this story has nothing…absolutely nothing to do with 'Purpose'. I may be repeating myself but this story will contain male-male pairings, so I really don't recommend people who doesn't like slash to read this… Thanks to my wonderful betas: Allexandrya, HH, and Shmadyle for being patient and willing to work with me…. *hugs the three of u* Really owe my grammar to u guys!_**

**~ Chapter 1: The end of summer term ~  
June 1997**

It was quiet in the boys' dormitory, except for the soft rustling of clothes as they were folded and the soft clicking of a beak as Hedwig preened her feathers carefully. The room was lit by a single magical candle floating in the room and by the faint moonlight that filtered through the windows of the bedroom. A rather lean figure, with raven-black hair that just reached below the collar-line sat quietly on a bed as he folded his clothes neatly. Usually, The Boy Who Lived would dump his remaining clothes, books and Merlin knew what else, into his trunk unceremoniously. However, Harry Potter seemed to find such a simple task somewhat relaxing and he let his mind drift and his hands work automatically as he folded shirts, pants and robes. He suddenly jerked at the feel of silk and he stared at the dark emerald shirt. _All right, since when have I had any shirts that are green? Oh... I remember! Hermione bought this for me. Only she would pay attention to colors when it comes to clothes. Dark rose for Ginny to complement her fair complexion and black for her Ron, just because he's tall now. I have to admit that Ron looks much better in black than the maroon Mrs. Weasley always seems to prefer. But I wonder why she bought dark emerald instead of green like that of the Slytherin colors. Their green does complement my eyes quite well, but maybe Hermione was thinking about my hair. _Harry smiled as he placed the folded shirt with his other belongings. His mind drifted again. _Although my new glasses kinda looked ridiculous when I wore the shirt for Christmas. _Harry sighed and his lips quirked into a half-smile as he mused. _Could the backlash of Voldemort's Killing Curse result with me being short-sighted? Well... what's the point? At least I don't look so 'nerdy' with my new glasses._ He checked his trunk and he was finally satisfied with his packing. Harry was not aware of a tall figure waiting silently by the door until a voice echoed quietly in the bedroom. 

"Will you be coming down to dinner Harry?" the voice inquired politely. 

Harry tensed slightly but relaxed when he recognized that the rich baritone belonged to a certain redheaded Prefect. Harry straightened up and turned to face Ron, indicating his answer with a slight shake of his head. 

Ron sighed and his shoulders bunched up as he strode quickly over to his friend. "You are," the redheaded Weasley placed his long, well-muscled hands on Harry's shoulders and applied a bit of pressure, "the most stubborn git I've ever come across in all the seventeen years of my young life." Ron slowly let go of his slightly shorter friend and raked his red hair back with his fingers. "What are we supposed to do with you, Harry?" 

"I don't know," Harry said lightly then pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Maybe... bash me up good, dump me into a potato sack, drop some stones in and haul me out to sea?" he suggested mildly. 

"Merlin! Was that a joke I heard? Damn it, Harry! That's not fair!" Ron pretended to be hurt but he was secretly glad that Harry had finally lightened up. _Even if it's the end of our sixth year._

Harry had not been acting like his normal self throughout their entire sixth-year. Ron's best friend had preferred to keep to himself separate from the others and brood. Ron at least understood why his friend was oftentimes silent. He knew that Harry was still mourning the loss of his godfather and in a silent pact, he and Hermione agreed not to pester Harry about it unless he broached the subject himself. Ron looked at his friend as Harry rearranged the books in his trunk. 

Ron suppressed the sigh that threatened to escape as he watched his friend busying himself with packing. Seeing that his friend was totally occupied, Ron let his mind wander and he found himself recollecting the events that occurred ever since they left King's Cross the previous summer. 

Summer of the year 1996 passed quickly. Ron and Hermione owled Harry frequently and they received their answers when they had expected not to be answered. The summer was quite uneventful despite the fact that the Dark Lord was waiting somewhere, Death Eaters were still on the loose, and Dementors had been out feasting on and tormenting clueless Muggles. Fortunately, there were some witches and wizards (and a number of Squibs) who still kept an eye on the Muggle world and noticed that the number of people visiting psychiatrists and mental institutions had increased dramatically. The covering up of the Dementors' acts was quite messy and most people working in the Ministry found themselves having to work overtime. 

September finally arrived and school began as usual. News of Sirius's death still echoed in the Great Hall and corridors and Ron wished that he could strangle some of the students who had pointedly accused Harry of being the sole cause of his godfather's death. So Harry rarely smiled and it came as a shock – mainly to McGonagall and the Gryffindors – when Harry declined to be the Seeker for the house. Hell broke loose that day but Harry remained adamant in his decision. Of course, no one dared to ask The Boy Who Lived why he didn't want to be on the team anymore. 

Sometime in the week before Halloween, an elite group attempted several assassinations, mainly targeting a group of Aurors and the members of the Order. Alastor Moody was killed in the line of duty as he saved Kingsley Shacklebolt from a Killing Curse. Charlie Weasley and his group of dragon riders were also attacked but they returned unscathed while their attackers were left burning, and attracting some unnameable Dark Creatures that were drawn to the burning flesh like vultures to death. Death Eaters also infiltrated into the castle of Hogwarts and attempted an assassination of The Boy Who Lived. 

By the time the skirmish was over, the infiltrators had escaped (Voldemort was injure-free) although one of them had been transfigured into something totally unrecognizable by the wand of a truly terrified Ginny. Harry was out cold, bleeding in several different places and looking as though he had been attacked by a ferocious beast on a rampage. Thankfully, Lupin (the werewolf had been reinstated as teacher to D.A.D.A) had been there with the group and they quickly carried Harry up to the hospital wing, ignoring the shocked faces of McGonagall, Snape and some of the students. Harry remained unconscious for nine days and it had not escaped Hermione's keen eyes when she saw Snape uncharacteristically lingering beside Harry's bed. Ron was a little surprised when they found out that the Potions Master was genuinely affected by the death of the ex-Auror. 

When Harry finally recovered, he simply refused to be near a large group of people, frequently avoiding the library at rush-hour, not going into the courtyard during breaks, and not even attending the Quidditch finals. Gryffindor was knocked out of the finals by the Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins were beaten soundly by them, and Hufflepuff had claimed the Cup. Harry seldom came down to supper since more students seemed to gather about in the Hall. Hermione had her own suspicions but if she knew why Harry was acting oddly she chose not to enlighten her partner. 

The sound of Harry's trunk closing drew Ron's attention back to the present. Luckily for Ron, Harry seemed to be unaware that his friend had been woolgathering. Ron asked Harry in a pleading voice. "So... are you sleeping here tonight or are you going to sleep in _that_ room again?" 

"Ron, you've got to be kidding." Harry chuckled softly, his emerald eyes softening. "How can I sleep with the four of you snoring like a drunk Ford Anglia?" He grinned and a muffled 'Ooophf' came from the raven-haired teenager as his best friend sent a pillow directly at his face. Harry smiled as he picked up the fallen pillow and with a softly muttered,_ "Wingardium Leviosa,"_ he sent the pillow back to Neville's bed. 

Harry looked thoughtfully at his bed and then his owl before he gave a long sigh. "As much as I would like to sleep in the company of friends, I don't think I care to risk depressing you guys with my nightmares," Harry said a little ruefully. 

"But –" Ron's handsome face tensed as he concentrated on his thoughts, "– I thought that potion Snape gave you – Bloody Hell! What's it called?" 

Harry tilted his head to his right, feeling a little amused at his best-friend's behavior. "Sleeping Draft Potion?" he replied blandly. 

"Blimey! I wonder if Ginny laced my pumpkin juice this morning with that Forgetfulness Potion she filched from Snape!" Ron exclaimed, his voice tight with suspicion. 

"Or maybe you're just too overwhelmed by the fact that 'Mione's going to stay under your roof for four weeks," Harry responded with a wide grin and Ron's face inevitably turned scarlet. The redheaded Weasley mumbled something unintelligible. 

Then Ron spoke in a much clearer voice. "Well, then. 'Mione is going to kill me at having failed in my mission, the objectives of which are to bind you up, haul you over my shoulder and bring you down to dinner. You had better make sure to eat _everything_ that Winky brings up to you, all right mate?" Ron said sternly and Harry laughed. That earned a gentle smile from Ron and they exchanged a warm brotherly hug. "It's good to have you _back_, mate." 

Harry squeezed his best friend's shoulders gently before releasing Ron. "I know," Harry agreed softly, his emerald eyes searching Ron's face. "And thanks for being patient with me." 

"Patience is a virtue, Harry," Ron replied philosophically. 

"I have something to confess to the both of you, but this can wait until I give you guys a visit," Harry said, although Ron noted that his eyes behind the silver-rimmed glasses were slightly unfocused. 

"Harry! You're killing me with my own curiosity!" Ron answered, groaning. 

"On your way Weasley," Harry replied, imitating Mrs. Weasley's tone. "Your partner's waiting." Harry received a painful smack from Seamus's book but Ron did finally retreat from the dormitory. 

Harry placed the book back on Seamus's dressing table and a soft hoot caught his attention. "Sorry Hedwig," he said apologetically and went up to his owl. Hedwig nibbled on his finger affectionately. "I envy you," he said softly and Hedwig gave an inquiring hoot. "I envy that you have a flying partner. I'm referring to Hawke, lady," Harry said with a smile and a contented hoot escaped from Hedwig's beak. "Who would have thought that our greasy-haired, slimy git of a Potions Master would have a friend flying around in his backyard?" Harry obliged his owl's insistence and he scratched her neck gently. 

At the thought of the Potions Master, Harry suddenly remembered an object that he had created. He left Hedwig to her grooming and he sat at the edge of his bed. With his right arm, he reached into the depths of his pocket and finally took the object out. Harry stared at it intently, delighting in the vibration of strong magic that the object radiated. 

Harry had no recollection of how long he had spent making the object but he knew that he had been thinking about it ever since he had resumed Occlumency lessons with Snape. He knew, however, that he had finished creating the object just before their study week started. He had finished it and stumbled into the common room just as Ginny started rambling hysterically about Potions with Hermione trying her best to calm the girl down. Harry smiled at the memory. 

Harry stood up and gave Hedwig a last scratch as he exited from the bedroom and proceeded to the common room. _And speaking of Sev, _Harry gave an inward smile at the nickname he had given the Potions Master. The nickname was really a slip of the tongue when Harry had felt truly frustrated after Snape had – whether it had been accidental or not – dug out a memory of a dream that was best left undiscussed. Harry could only attribute that dream to his growing teenage hormones. That incident had left both men blushing painfully. By the time Harry's birthday was over, both individuals had gotten used to the Potions Master new call-name, although he felt that it would be far safer if he refrain from using the nickname during the term. Harry felt the weight of the metallic object in his pocket. _I've got to pass him this. I'm not sure if the receiver will get it if I send it by owl, but Sev being who he is, I'm sure he'll come up with something. And hopefully he won't bump into the she-dragon when he gets to King's Cross to deliver the gift. _

Harry greeted Parvati briefly as he made his way out of the common room and proceeded briskly downwards to the dungeons. He bumped into Cho and her girls and the two stared at each other for a moment before Harry acknowledged her with a nod and continued on his way. The Ravenclaws were looking at him as though he was a stranger, but Harry was too tired to consider their opinion of him. He caught sight of Malfoy and his gang and slowed his pace a bit. It wouldn't do if any of the Slytherins caught him visiting the dreaded Potions Master whom they thought he hated. _Well, I still do sometimes... _He shrugged to himself and winced when the presence of the dozens of people gathered in the Hall hit him. That was the reason why Harry avoided crowds. After his duel with Voldemort, which had included the conjuring of an imp-like demon with huge claws and an unknown spell that Harry had to counteract with his will during the nine days he lay unconscious, Harry found that he was extremely sensitive to the auras of the half-grown witches and wizards. Being with Hermione and Ginny for only an hour was enough to give him a migraine. Being around Snape was enough to cause him to faint, which he did when he had stayed in Snape's office to learn about certain uses of plants. 

Although Snape, Dumbledore and he himself had found ways to negate his sensitivity a little, Harry was still able to feel the magic strongly radiating out from his schoolmates. It was possible for him to be in a group study for half a day. He would have freaked out if he couldn't because he'd be seriously failing Advanced Transfigurations, yet it had surprised Hermione that he was doing all right in Potions. Harry knew that most of the Slytherins would be seated in the Hall for the feast and he swiftly crossed the Entrance Hall and went down the staircase. He moved quickly and paused at the office. It was locked. _Damn. He's at the Hall. Should I break in? Or should I wait until the feast's over? _He pondered but decided that it was just too important to wait. 

Harry reached for his wand and a jet of sparks burst from the tip of his wand. The door did not immediately open but he didn't really expect the simple spell to override the magic of a powerful wizard. Harry laid the flat of his palm on the door and concentrated. The wards weakened further and Harry heard a click. _Hell, Sev will give me a lecture about this. Good job Harry. This will make sure that Sev gives you extra tutorials during the holidays. Remind yourself that it was **your** own idea to infuriate the man when he gives you the task of writing fifteen-inch parchment essays. _Harry slipped in and waited by the chair calmly. 

********** 

Professor Snape gave the meanest of scowls at a group of Hufflepuffs who were laughing too loudly for his taste. He slowly drank his juice and had finally finished his steak when he heard a snort coming from the werewolf seated beside him. 

"Something amusing, Lupin?" Snape drawled, wiping his mouth meticulously on a napkin, still maintaining his scowl. 

"For Merlin's sake, it's the end of the school term. Try to fake a smile," Lupin said softly without looking at the Potions Master. 

Professor Vector, who was seated beside Lupin, tried to smother a giggle. "Don't take up his suggestion Severus. You'll probably scare the children to death." 

"Really?" Snape turned to look at her, his scowl replaced by faint amusement. "Maybe I should try that." 

Vector's curses went unheard as bells rang clearly in Snape's head; he suppressed the urge to mutter every blasphemy he had learnt in the course of his life. Dumbledore looked at him curiously, though his eyes told Snape that he knew what had happened. Snape excused himself from the table and he strode calmly out of the Hall, feeling the eyes of Hermione, Ron and Draco at his back. He considered what he should do to his ward who had broken into his office. _Blasted boy! Doesn't he know how much energy I require to rebuild the goddamn wards? _"Harry, can you please explain what you mean by breaking my wards?" Snape thundered as he slammed open the door and closed it with a bang. 

"No explanations, sir. Just that I want you to give something to you-know-who, since you know I can't give it to him myself," Harry said calmly, ignoring the black scowl on Snape's face. 

"But you are going on the train aren't you?" Snape frowned as Harry shook his head. 

"Dumbledore advised me against boarding the Hogwarts Express. No idea why he wants that though, so if you want answers, get it from him," Harry replied and Snape groaned. 

"But how on earth are you going to get to _our_ home?" Snape massaged his temple and Harry quirked up an eyebrow when he heard Snape referring his house as 'theirs'. 

"Portkey, and Dumbledore will be escorting me. Here," Harry said as he reached out for Snape's right hand and dropped the object into his palm. Snape looked at him quizzically and studied the steely object carefully. "Dumbledore's worried that something might happen to _him_ so I just helped by creating something that would alert us if _he's_ in trouble," Harry said, trying to sound as expressionless as possible although his heart was thumping strongly in his chest. "It will close automatically and once on, it can't be removed." 

Snape suppressed a sigh of envy. _That brat is so lucky to receive something so exquisitely made, and by Harry's own magic. Too bad Harry Potter is half my age. I would seriously consider chasing him, but no, he is infatuated with the brat._ Snape carefully examined the engraving on the silver and it seemed like Harry was waiting for him to say something. "It's pretty enough that I don't think he will discard it. Do you want me to make sure he puts it on before I leave the station?" To Snape's amusement, the boy who was already equal in height blushed furiously and Snape chuckled, something he had only shown to Harry when the teenager came to live with him during the previous summer. 

********** 

Leren Montague, the younger brother of Jeffrey Montague (who was the Syltherin House captain for the year 1995) slowly retrieved his hand – with his wand hidden by his huge palm – from where he had placed it over the hem of Draco's robe, just as the Slytherin prefect stood up and muttered something about the need to pack his belongings. Crabbe and Goyle had approached the Quidditch captain earlier in the evening to see if he had any idea of how to expose the prefect's loyalty to the Slytherin's cause. Even if they didn't find out anything about that, they hoped that they would find some evidence of the Slytherin prefect caught up in some very unorthodox behavior. Crabbe and Goyle immediately approached him as Draco finally left the Hall. Leren chanted something under his breath, thereby activating the spell with a quick movement of his hand that held his hidden wand, under the oak table. 

Ginny, who had been studying the Slytherin table, quickly whispered into Dean's ear and her boyfriend leaned forward to whisper in Ron's. Ron leaned back, one scarlet eyebrow raised up skeptically. 

"'Mione," Ron leaned sideways and rubbed his nose for a quick moment as his partner's hair tickled it, "Ginny says those blokes over there are acting very funny." 

"Really?" Hermione looked up to him and stared at Leren Montague. The Slytherin seemed to feel her eyes on him and he sneered at her. Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Friends," Hermione said sweetly and Ginny was the first to lean over the table. She knew that tone and smiled devilishly. "What shall we give them for a farewell gift?" That got all of them whispering, all bearing the same, maniacal grins. 

********** 

"Was I _that _transparent?" Harry mumbled, not meeting Snape's coal-black eyes. 

"If one's observant enough... Yes," Snape answered, and kept the gift in his robe that he would be wearing the next morning. "And yes... where were we? About that punishment. As you are my godson, I'm entitled to every means possible to ensure discipline. I'll tell you what _you're _going to be doing when we get home tomorrow. Right now, you are going to help me rebuild the wards and don't you dare slip," Snape said sternly and Harry sighed in resignation. 

Both of them took their wands out and slipped into a trance effortlessly and began to weave the wards together. They were so deep in concentration as they created the shields that they were deaf to the small but distinctive gasp outside the door. 

********** 

Utter silence. Hermione stared at the Slytherins with shock. Ginny was very pale and Ron was right on the verge of hysteria. Slowly, contemptuous looks began appearing on the faces of the Slytherins and Hermione snarled when she saw that happening. It was Luna, however, who started the swearing and Hermione found herself agreeing with every oath that escaped the Ravenclaw. McGonagall was looking very faint and Lupin... No one knew quite how to explain the look on his face. The werewolf certainly looked shocked, mingled with disbelief and a second later, he certainly looked happy. Then his expression changed into a concerned one before settling for a blank expression. Only Dumbledore was unaffected by the amplified, and somewhat distorted conversation between Professor Snape and Harry Potter. 

"Bloody hell," Ron finally managed to get his voice working. 

"My sentiments exactly," Hermione agreed stiffly. 

Conversation erupted in the Hall again and the Gryffindors wondered, and those who used their brains to think, what would become of the double-crossing Potions Master now that Montague had uncovered that he was protecting The Boy Who Lived. 

********** 

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Post-Author's Notes:

Hey guys! This is my first attempt writing a slash fic! Although it will be rather mild slash (but u can't really tell since you had read only hints in this chap)…Updating the next chap will take sometime, since I need my betas to give me the thumbs-up signal :)_ …. Wat do u think abt this first chap? Boring? _


	2. Sometimes the truth is best left untold

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Summary:

1st part of this chapter is something like Draco's POV. An avid observer, he notes stuff that no else seems to notice, except for the ever-brilliant Granger. Not knowing that Montague had cast a spell on him, he overhears a conversation between the Potions Master and The Boy Who Lived as he makes his way back to his room to pack. 2nd part: Remus barges into Snape's office…

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Author's notes:

Sorry that I had taken a long time to update… flu season… Well, here's your 2nd chap! Hope u guys will enjoy reading it! And thank you HH, for beta-ing my work and pointing out several helpful suggestions!

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~ Chapter 2: Sometimes the truth is best left untold ~

While Harry was breaking into Snape's office…

Draco Malfoy stared at Snape's graceful figure as the Potions Master glided past the benches of students and finally disappeared from view as he turned the corner. The Slytherin prefect greatly admired the wizard. Although the Potions Master wasn't what you might call handsome – not with that very prominent nose – Professor Snape possessed an aura that Draco found strangely attractive. He carefully wrenched his gaze from the doors and focused intently on his dessert. 

Gentle murmurs of conversation filled the Great Hall, an occasional explosion of raucous laughter coming from a particular bunch of Hufflepuffs. Draco cut a piece of chocolate cake with great precision and slowly began to eat it while his calm, silver eyes scanned the Hall. The Great Hall was decked in silver and green; Slytherin had won the House Cup for the first time since Harry Potter had entered Hogwarts.

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Not that it was much of a victory, Draco snorted to himself. If Professor Sprout had not awarded him fifty points for saving a first-year student from a Fanged Geranium, Gryffindor would have won it for the sixth-year running. His silver eyes rested on the empty space beside Hermione Granger. _It's just like him… and yet unlike him to break the school's traditions, _Draco mused as he finished his cake. _I expected him to come down, at least for the Leaving Feast, but it seems that I was wrong in my assessment. _Draco sneered to himself, and watched his empty glass quickly refilling with fresh pumpkin juice. The expression on his face was more or less for the benefit of the people who were watching him. Draco felt strangely curious about Harry's behavior, and it certainly was not the first time that he felt like he was literally choking with unanswered questions.

__

He didn't attend meals with his usual company most of the time, but after that encounter with Vol – Draco seemed to be experiencing some sort of trouble thinking of the Dark Lord's name and he tried again. _Vol – _He remained stuck and he gave up, fuming. _Bloody, irritating name, _he thought with aggravation. _I noticed that Green-Eyes hasn't been coming down for dinner ever since he recovered from that nine-day coma. _His thoughts stilled and he frowned. _Damnation_. He downed the last of his juice in a single gulp. _I just called The Boy Who Lived 'Green-Eyes'._ Draco fumed even more. _Since when did that happen?_

"Probably since you have noticed just how captivating he is, all somber, unsmiling, serious and reserved. You've thought the view was a rather nice change from that constantly chattering Parkinson. Admit it, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter has fast become a very attractive young man with those eyes of his," a small voice spoke in his head.

__

Shut up. Draco gave a small sigh and cringed in disgust when Goyle belched rather loudly. _One would think that the ape didn't know any table-manners. _His lips curled in distaste as his 'bodyguard' let out another rude-sounding burp. Draco focused on his thoughts once again. _I noticed that Green-Eyes – Bloody hell – hasn't been anywhere near a crowd since he recovered. I wonder which spell the Dark Lord used on him. His reactions certainly conform with the aftermath of a De-Magicking spell. The Dark Lord should know by now not to use any kinds of complicated spells on **him**. I'd bet ten Galleons that the spell backfired and Green-Eyes has somehow become more responsive to magic. His aura certainly indicates that he is stronger than before. _

The sudden closeness of Leren Montague broke his concentration and he frowned. He was secretly uncomfortable with the way the Quidditch captain was staring at him. _Damn. He must have caught me staring at the Gryffindors. _Draco's eyes turned steely, as if daring the other boy to say something about it. Leren, for his part, looked innocently bewildered with Draco's reaction. 

"What's wrong?" the Quidditch captain asked in a concerned tone. Draco failed to notice that Leren was touching a portion of his robe.

"Nothing," he answered impassively. "I've got more packing to do," he said with a curt nod and stood up. He left the Hall quickly, missing the sudden movement of his 'bodyguards' who quickly seated themselves beside the captain. 

Draco breathed a huge sigh of relief as he walked across the silent Entrance Hall. He cherished being alone. _Somehow, I doubt that Green-Eyes stays aloof for the same reasons that I do. At least he was right when it came to choosing his friends... _Draco resented that fact. He felt somewhat bitter when he saw how Harry's friends stayed with him no matter how he could actually be. _At least, he can count on them. Me? Count on Goyle or his cousin? _Draco snorted, walking down the steps unhurriedly. _I'll eat my socks, pickled for two days in Snape's hair cream, when that day happens. _Draco smiled to himself. For nearly six years, he had been trying to deduce what the Potions Master applied to his hair to no avail. 

He continued his lazy stroll until he passed the Potions classroom. _Wait a sec – _He stopped, looking back at the corridor. _I could have sworn that I heard **his**_ _voice. But – _His eyes widened when he heard the sound of deep, velvet laughter slightly muffled by the thick classroom door. _Snape! He... laughed? _Draco felt even more incredulous and unconsciously took several steps toward the door. He was just in time to hear a distinctly muffled voice, but clearly Harry's, replying to the Potions Master. 

"– I that transparent?"

He heard Snape's answer. "If one's observant enough... yes." Snape paused. "And yes... where were we? About that punishment. As you are my godson, I'm entitled to every means possible to ensure discipline. I'll tell you what you're – " Draco heard Snape stressing on that last word, "– going to do when we get home tomorrow." It was a moment before Snape continued. "Right now, you are going to help me rebuild the wards and don't you dare slip." 

Draco stared dumbly at the door, his brain sifting through the information he had unwittingly stumbled upon. The truth finally hit him hard, and he failed to restrain the gasp that emerged from his throat. Panicking, he swiftly ran from the doorway and headed for the safety of his own room. 

Several minutes later, he was panting slightly from the forced exertion, forehead resting against the rough exterior of the door. His limbs were shaking tremendously and it took him another five minutes to calm himself. Finally, he heaved himself off the door and locked the room with a spell. He almost dropped his wand when he turned around to face his room. Bright flashes of light filled the darkness. He immediately cast a Light spell and the room brightened further. There on his study desk, a small spherical crystal was flashing madly, but before he could do anything about it, the flashes died. What was left was just the plain-looking crystal ball. _By the hands of Rhiannon... _Draco blinked several times, horror gnawing at his gut. _This could only mean one thing... I have been hexed. _Draco quickly went to the mirror.

"What's the matter boy?" it asked. "You're looking edgy." 

He inspected himself in the mirror but everything seemed normal to him. _The spell... whatever it was... had already worn off. _He took a deep breath, telling himself it would be a waste of magic to trace the caster. Grudgingly, he set his thoughts aside and began to work, checking his drawers to make sure that no books of importance were left behind. 

Half an hour later, he was left with nothing more to pack. He flung himself down on his bed, still fully clothed. The Light spell had worn off minutes ago but it was replaced by five magical candles. He stared at a particularly tall candle as he began to think. He felt very confused and horrified at the same time. _The werewolf I could understand, **he** was the friend of Harry's dead godfather… but **Snape**? _He stood up to remove his shoes and robes. The latter he folded neatly and hung on the back of a chair while he placed his shoes beside his trunk. His white shirt and black pants for the journey tomorrow were arranged neatly on his desk and he quickly slipped into his sleeping robe. Everything seemed hazy to him and the more he thought about Snape's guardianship over Harry, the more his head felt like exploding. Lying on his bed, he extinguished the candles with a soft command.

He stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours before he groaned and covered his face with a pillow. _At least **I'm** the one who overheard that conversation. If it had been Vince, or worse, Pansy… I hope that wherever Green-Eyes is spending the holidays, it will be in a place that's tightly warded. _With that thought, he let himself drift off into a deep slumber, blissfully unaware of a confrontation between a worried werewolf and a dumbfounded Potions Master. 

**********

The office was eerily silent. The fact that there were no windows and was lit only by the heatless flames in the fireplace, made the room appear even more frightening. Two wizards faced each other, not speaking. Lupin's face showed his weariness; his brown eyes gleamed ethereally in the firelight. Snape's face, on the other hand, was white with shock and his obsidian eyes stared penetratingly into the werewolf's. 

Exactly ten minutes earlier Snape had been in his bedchamber busily packing his clothes without magic when he heard a rap on the outer door. He frowned for a moment, wondering if it was his godson. He left his task to answer it, and as he opened the door to receive his caller, he was pushed rudely by a strong hand and nearly caused half of his Potions ingredients to topple over. Fortunately, Snape had recently renewed the Stabilizing and Unbreakable Charms on his cupboard and its contents.

Snape straightened himself and pushed his long black hair out of his face, fuming. "What's gotten into you, werewolf?" the Potions Master snapped angrily, advancing dangerously close to the D.A.D.A. professor. 

"Has it ever occurred to you to place Silencing Charms or something when you're having a conversation that's best kept secret?" Lupin asked lightly before he muttered several spells. His brown eyes refocused and Lupin looked grimly at the Potions Master.

Snape frowned, wondering what the werewolf was implying. His question was soon answered and he felt as if he had been hit by several hundred Bludgers all at once.

"So basically the entire school now knows that you're with Harry," Lupin had said simply.

Still stunned, Snape finally broke eye contact and sat heavily in his armchair. He suppressed the urge to bury his face in his palms. Instead, he stared blankly at Lupin's chest. _Dear Merlin... Remus isn't lying about that. _He had used his skill as a Legilimens on the werewolf and Lupin didn't stop him; in fact, the werewolf had encouraged him to do so. _Was Harry the one who – _

"Stop being an ass, Severus. Harry is not so foolish as to experiment with something that would cost you your life. Sirius's death taught him that," Lupin interrupted in a severe tone. The Potions Master might have been skilled when it came to Occlumency but Lupin had spent years studying human behavior and body language. He didn't need to look into a person's mind to know what they were thinking and Snape knew it.

The Potions Master closed his eyes for a long moment. Lupin was still looking intently at him and Snape conjured another chair for the werewolf. The D.A.D.A. professor hesitated for a moment before accepting the seat. 

"If Harry wasn't the one who broadcasted the news, then who?" Snape asked in a strained voice. 

"Possibly Draco Malfoy," Lupin answered quietly. "He was the only student who left the Hall after you did."

Snape's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't think the boy hates me so much that he would expose which side I'm on, Remus."

"Who knows why the Malfoys do anything?" Lupin retorted, making Snape scowl blackly.

"You don't know the boy like I do, werewolf," Snape said quietly. He gave a long sigh. "I guess a lifetime's worth of bad luck has finally caught up with me. Anyway, it doesn't matter. The Dark Lord has had his suspicions and I'm sure he'll be thrilled to receive confirmation of my disloyalty within the next few days. Bless Dumbledore for preparing for the eventuality of my exposure." Snape rose swiftly from his chair and paused by his bedroom door. Lupin heard the Potions Master say '_Pack_–' and he saw Snape wave his wand before coming back to sit down, looking a little forlorn. 

Lupin's eyes softened as he watched Snape's façade fade away to reveal the real Potions Master. No one knew Snape's other self but Dumbledore. The werewolf had only seen glimpses of it back in his school days, such as the days where he had waited anxiously for Snape to tell him about the possibility of a potion to curb the harmful behavior of a werewolf. Lupin had even seen glimpses of it during exchanges of sharp words, but never all at once._ I suppose Harry has seen him too. Cheer up werewolf. Don't plague your mind with worries about their safety. _He thought of something to say, finally giving a small chuckle. 

"At least Ron finally believes that you're on our side now," Lupin said lightly, smiling, albeit a little forcibly. _Werewolf, you are crazy. This is a serious situation and you're attempting a joke?! _

Snape snorted with amusement and Lupin relaxed. Snape's eyes brightened with mirth and the werewolf marveled at Dumbledore's influence on the Potions Master. "I certainly can imagine his reaction," Snape said scornfully, and to Lupin's surprise, the Potions Master made a fair imitation of the Weasley's voice. _"Harry must have gone mental! Snape? That slimy git? Bloody hell! Mental! That's what Harry is! Bloody mental!" _Snape gave a sidelong glance at Lupin. The werewolf was squirming in his seat, and Snape could see that Lupin was blushing. "Well... wasn't that his general reaction?" 

Lupin did not answer because he wasn't sure if the Potions Master really wanted to know, as that was precisely how Ron had reacted. After his initial shock, the Weasley had made those exact sentiments known, just in a much louder voice. "Well, if you are calm enough –" Snape snorted at that, annoying Lupin greatly. "Dumbledore wants to have a word with you." 

Snape sneered at the werewolf and Lupin took a deep breath, restraining his instinct to throttle the Potions Master. Snape stood up, straightened his robes and peeked into his bedroom for a moment before proceeding out without a backward glance at Lupin. The werewolf sighed, wishing that the other wizard would show him a little courtesy. Lupin stepped out of the office and closed the door gently, muttering a quiet spell and moving off. He tilted his head to his right when he realized that Snape was waiting for him. 

Half of the Potions Master was in shadow but something about his posture told the werewolf what Snape was thinking. Lupin stopped, just inches away from Snape, and stared at his coal-black eyes. 

Smiling, Lupin spoke. "Don't worry, Severus," the werewolf said in an undertone. "I don't feel slighted in any way. If it's of any comfort to you, I'm glad that you took Harry under your wing." Lupin was hard pressed to restrain his itchy fingers from tracing the outline of the Potions Master's face. Snape stared at Lupin's face for a moment before he nodded and turned away. 

Snape could still feel the soft, burning gaze of the werewolf's and he shuddered involuntarily. He had nearly lost control of himself but there were just too many things to think about to give in to temptation. 

__

So, he does not mind me being Harry's guardian. Of course, I think the only people to object to this would be the last of the Black... Merlin help me... What if **he** gets the idea to hunt down the students and their families to get to Harry through me? Snape trembled at his bleak thoughts and briskly made his way to the Headmaster's office. 

**********

The night wore on, students and staff alike sleeping and dreaming of things they were looking forward to. There were others who dreamt of things they prayed they would never have to face in the future. A redheaded prefect was mumbling in his sleep, having a nightmare of Harry being bewitched by a certain dark-haired creature. Ron Weasley continued to moan until Seamus Finnigan hit him with a hex and Ron slept quietly. A boy with distinct silver-blond hair turned to his side, hugging a pillow closely to his chest. Draco Malfoy was smiling in his sleep as he dreamt of holding a person who whispered that he was the only one deserving enough to do so. Inside the Room of Requirement, a boy with thick, messy black hair writhed in his bed, moaning and gasping. Harry Potter's face was streaked with tears as he dreamed of a future massacre over and over again, desperately trying to find a way to stop the bloodshed. It wasn't until three hours later when he dreamt of a person with strong arms comforting him that The Boy Who Lived finally fell into an exhausted sleep, soothed by nothing more than the impression that he was being held. And loved. 

**********


	3. You can learn a lot from a Silencing Cha...

**_Summary: _**

Harry finds out that his wardship has been discovered when he gets to his dormitory in the morning. How will our boy take it? And as for our favorite (Ahem…at least mine) Slytherin, he notices that his fellow students giving him odd looks. What's going to happen when the Potions Master calls the two youths down to his office?

**_Firesword: _**

Sorry that I took such a long time to update! **Exhausting piece I must say, for my betas and myself. I was so drowsy by the time I finished re-reading through this piece. Hadn't slept well the past few days. A couple of things that I would like to say, apologize and correct. As one of the readers pointed out to me (Bramblerose) Montague (the canon one) has already graduated by the year 96. My beta HH also did a bit of research on him and upon her suggestion, the Montague in my story is the canon's younger brother. *Hopes that no one will say that Montague supposedly is the only child*. And to my betas HH and Allexandrya, I don't think the story would be as smooth going if I am working alone, hence I'm glad that you guys are here! And HH, thank you for suggesting a title for the chapter! Well, enough of my babbling. Enjoy the chapter! : ) **

~ Chapter 3: You can learn a lot from a Silencing Charm ~

Harry stirred, making small movements on the bed as he felt himself slipping away from the realm of dreams. He groaned, not really wanting to get out of bed. As they had ever since he began using this room to sleep, magical candles appeared instantly as he awoke. His hand groped the surface of the small round bedside table for his glasses. With a little bit of fumbling, he slipped them on. 

The clock on the wall showed twenty minutes to seven and he sighed. He closed his eyes and thought about the dreams he'd had during the night. Of course, there had been the usual concoction of nightmares about Voldemort and the war. Then there were others that didn't make any sense at all; he was thankful that those dreams only filled him with a sense of bewilderment rather than dread. His thoughts wandered to the dream he'd had just before he roused. Touching his chest gently with his fingers, Harry shivered as he imagined the feel of silky strands of hair splayed across his chest and neck. He knew full well of whom he had been dreaming. He'd been having the same dream since last summer and it only returned when he had nightmares. _Damn... I wish that dream was real..._ His sigh was filled with deep regret. 

He crawled out of bed reluctantly and stood for a moment to shake the last remnants of sleep away. A portion of the room began to change and he shed his pajamas swiftly before entering the bathroom to wash up. Ten minutes later, he emerged, feeling quite refreshed and he got dressed. Toweling his hair dry, he willed his pajamas to fold and set themselves on top of yesterday's clothes. He stood in front of the mirror but did not bother looking as he brushed his long black hair. Glancing at the clock, he decided what he should do next. _Three minutes past seven. Maybe I should drop in and yell 'Spiders' at the top of my lungs. Haven't done that for quite a while. _The idea of making his friend wake up screaming seemed to have cheered him a little and Harry fidgeted on his feet guiltily. _Merlin help me! I'm becoming more Slytherin-ish with each passing day!_ He walked away, making the mirror scream in protest and he chuckled softly as he grabbed his wand and clothes. The mirror was still yelling when he closed the door to the Room of Requirement. 

The corridors were silent although a group of students was already up and walking about. Still sleepy, they walked past him, not recognizing him as The Boy Who Lived. In a few minutes, Harry stood before the Fat Lady. She examined him carefully.

"Password?" she enquired.

__

"Afer Ventus," he replied. He looked at the portrait curiously when he sensed her hesitation as she swung open to admit him. 

__

Okay... Harry found himself thinking as he saw the animatedly-talking Colin Creevey snap his mouth shut when he entered the common room. The sight before him was slightly unusual in that the common room was already buzzing with activity this early; he was willing to bet fourteen Galleons that he had been the subject of discussion just before he made an appearance.

__

What is it this time? He thought with a touch of bitterness. He saw Colin squirm uneasily in his seat. 

"Your friends are probably still asleep," Colin squeaked out and Harry gave a brief nod before he went up the stairs that led to the boys' dormitory. Although his face betrayed no emotion – he was far too practiced in putting on a blank face – he felt hurt. _Since when did Ron, Hermione, Neville and the rest become '**my**' friends? _he thought sadly. _Have they been alienated too because of their connection with me? _

He stepped into the dormitory quietly, heading straight for his bed and trunk. He didn't notice that all of his roommates, and two girls, were watching him in silence. If Moody had been alive to rebuke him, he would have done so the instant Harry crossed the room without pausing to check the surroundings. 

"Harry," Hermione's familiar voice emerged from the dark room. His hands stilled and he replaced the lid of his trunk. Someone conjured up several candles and as Harry turned, he saw the grim expressions on their faces. He took a deep breath, sensing trouble. 

"What is it?" he asked, keeping his tone even.

"You – Snape – " Hermione tried to speak but lost courage when Harry stared at her in an intimidating way. Harry switched his gaze to Ron. 

His best friend looked calmly at him and cleared his throat once. "We know that Snape's your new godfather." 

Harry's first reaction was to deny that statement but he managed to stop himself. Judging by the stares of his friends, he knew that doing so would achieve nothing more than to confirm it. Finally, Harry spoke, "Who else knows about it?" he asked, trying to sound calm. His trembling fingers showed he was anything but.

"The entire school does," Ginny responded and she winced when Harry's exclamation reached even the ears of the students hanging out in the common room. 

__

"WHAT?!!!!!" Harry lost his veneer of calm at last. He stormed toward Ron and Hermione cringed. Harry looked positively formidable now. Their friend had no intention of strangling them however; he had collapsed on the edge of Ron's bed, looking totally flabbergasted. Hermione sympathized when she saw his extremely stunned expression up close. If the situation had been less serious, she would have suggested that someone take his picture.

"We found out last night, during the feast," Dean informed him, hands toying with a soft red cushion uneasily.

Harry's head began to pound and he raised his left hand to rub at his temple. _Dear gods! Why **now** of all times? Does Sev know about this? Does he think that I'm the one responsible? Damn! If Leren knows... Bloody hell! _Harry was beginning to feel very agitated and grabbing a pillow at random, he began squeezing it. He was muttering 'Bloody hell' under his breath all the while. 

"We're not sure how, but it seems like Malfoy was the one responsible for the exposure," Ron said in a quiet voice.

Harry blinked. _Draco? But why? Sev never talks about it, but he dotes on Draco and I **know**_ _Draco looks up to him, and not because his father told him to. _"Why do you think that?" he asked in a reasonable tone.

The redhead scratched the bridge of his nose as he answered. "I don't know what you were doing yesterday, but you probably went into Snape's office and triggered the wards."

"Then Snape left the Hall, and like ten minutes later, Malfoy left," Seamus added.

"The Slytherins were acting rather odd when Malfoy turned his back. Well... not all the Slytherins; mainly Crabbe, Goyle and Montague. And what's most peculiar was that Montague had seated himself beside the charming white ferret, and the two large goons had been sitting with Parkinson's gang," Ginny inserted her own observation.

Hermione took it upon herself to describe the most probable spell that would allow a conversation to be overheard, glaring at Ron when he commented that the twins' Extendable Ears could have achieved the same thing with less effort. Harry nearly smiled at that. _Well, they belong together. I can't believe that I was so surprised when Draco exposed their relationship months ago. _He sighed and listened to Hermione again.

"But then – " Hermione stopped and chewed on her lip. "Malfoy might be innocent too... I mean, other than Zabini or that _cow_, Montague's fairly good in wizardry and... oh I don't know!" she said helplessly.

"Malfoy? That ferret... innocent? Come now, 'Mione," Ron snorted derisively. "You all right there, Harry?" Weasley asked in a worried voice.

"Ron, look at my face," Harry began in a serious voice. "Do I look fine to you?"

"No, you don't," his best friend admitted sheepishly. "No worries Harry. We talked about the 'what-could-happen' stuff hours ago."

"We're here for you," Neville, who had been silent, inserted in a quiet voice.

Harry gulped, looking at his friends' faces in turn. He tried not to shiver as he felt his insides turn cold. His friends looked gravely back at him. _Do you know what you're saying? Do you really understand what could happen to you? You might be able to cope with the shunning some of the students here are giving you, but can you handle the death of someone important to you? _

"Harry, stop worrying about it," Hermione said gently. "We understand the situation as much as we possibly could. But we're _not_ about to leave you with all the burden," she continued, reaching out for his right hand. Ron – automatically, it seemed – clasped his hand over hers.

Ginny took Harry's left hand and Dean copied Ron's gesture. "We are your friends and Voldemort has made it a point to meddle in our lives. I'm – We're tired of seeing you fight alone, trying to shoulder a burden that's best left for a fully-grown and competent wizard. I don't want to see you blaming yourself when something bad happens." Ginny spoke in a serious voice, quite unlike the happy-go-lucky girl she had always been. "Anyway, seven brains with different specialties really ought to be more useful than one," she said in an impish manner. Harry had to smile at her and shook his head in a gesture of affection.

"I agree with that. Who knows? Since Neville is _your_ opposite, he might have a chance to actually finish that lunatic," Seamus remarked and Neville coughed in embarrassment.

"Seamus, you're breaking the atmosphere. We're supposed to be witnesses, or do I need to remind you?" Neville asked pointedly. Ginny giggled when she thought she heard a faint trace of disapproval in Longbottom's voice.

"Witnesses? To what?" Harry asked in confusion. The triumphant look on Ginny's face and the sly smile Hermione gave him doubled his wariness. "All right Hermione. Out with it," he said sternly.

"'Mione cast an enchantment. It's like taking an oath. We have to carry out what we have offered," Ron answered on behalf of his partner.

__

Dragon's teeth! They're not serious! Harry's eyes went wide with disbelief. "You're crazy," he said flatly but his friends just shrugged.

"Maybe we are, " Hermione shrugged and she went on. "The enchantment was relatively simple to cast. We have bound ourselves to you bythe ties of _friendship_ so I don't think there's anything wrong with that, since it was already there in the first place. It's just a measure to make sure that you'll receive our help whether you – "

"– Like it or not," Ginny whispered as she gave him a warm kiss on his forehead. "We'll be sticking to you like glue. We are going to fight V – " Her brother made a great noise of disapproval and she scowled at him before correcting herself. " – The Dark Lord _together_. If you ask me, I think it's time for the rest of _them_," her eyes grew steely as she thought about the Ministry, "to stop hiding behind your back or depending on Dumbledore's prowess."

"Now," Hermione pulled him up to his feet, "we'd better get down to the Hall and see what's happening." She glanced down at her partner for a second and added just as Ron's stomach produced a loud grumble. "And some breakfast as well." She smiled at Ron when his ears turned bright pink.

Ron cleared his throat uneasily as he stood, looking only at the emerald-eyed youth. "You _will _tell us how on earth_ that_ bloke became your godfather one day? I'm sure it will be interesting for us to know." Harry made a sound of agreement.

All of them regrouped in the common room with their belongings, ignoring the overt stares of their housemates. They queued as they waited their turn to get out of the portrait hole and made their way down to the Hall. 

"I'm glad you accepted _him_," Hermione said absently as she watched Crookshanks trot down the staircase with faint amusement. "It looks to me like you at least forgave him enough to teach you Occlumency again," she explained when he gave her a quizzical look. "And it certainly helped you in Potions." She shot an envious look at him and Harry grinned widely. 

__

If she only knew what I had to go through, having extra tutorials in Sev's own territory... Harry grimaced slightly at the memory, _and that was just Potions. Occlumency... _He sighed at that. _The hazards of the technique ensured that I learned everything as quickly as I could. Then there were those unrehearsed D.A.D.A. sessions..._

He broke off from his musings as the sounds of conversation reached his ears. He exchanged a look with Ron, who snorted then gave a look that said _'Hot news making the rounds'_. They left their trunks in the Entrance Hall and went in. Harry couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. _How is Sev reacting to this, or for that matter, Lupin? It would have been logical for him to be my second guardian. And Hagrid, he'll be very mad... I slipped away from the Dursleys'. I feel like I've betrayed him... _He paused by the door, taking a brief moment to scan the Hall. He raised an elegant eyebrow as he studied the Slytherins' reactions. The majority of the seniors were ignoring the newcomers, but the third and fourth year students looked indecisive. _At least the first-years don't give a damn about the 'unfriendliness' that's supposed to be customary between our Houses, _he thought as he and his friends made their way to their usual seating area.

His eyes locked on Dumbledore's quite accidentally as he sat, and he suppressed a frown. _Why on earth is he smiling? _He shifted his gaze to the werewolf and saw that Lupin was also giving him a faint smile. _Moving on to Sev... _Harry studied the Potions Master carefully, but Snape wasn't even looking at the Gryffindor table. His coal-black eyes were focused at the entrance of the Hall. _He's up to something. _He fretted as he drank his juice (he nearly choked when he realized it was pineapple) and accepted the scone Hermione gave him with a murmur of thanks. 

He tried to ignore the buzzing feeling that had begun to build up in the back of his mind. _Damnation... I wish this sensitivity of mine would wear off! _He chewed on his breakfast in a preoccupied manner. _Is Draco truly responsible for the disclosure or is Leren to blame? No one thought the Slytherin captain would join the Death Eaters. His parents didn't. Wait… he has an older brother. Could it be? _

"Harry!" Hermione jabbed her elbow lightly into his waist as she whispered urgently. She pointed her chin at the entrance when he gave her an inquiring look. His bright emerald eyes swiftly focused on the doors and he temporarily forgot about the uncomfortable sensation in his mind as he took in the pale, graceful aristocratic face. _He's beautiful... _Harry thought with a sense of wonder. _His hair's getting longer too. I wonder if it's as silky as it felt in my dreams. _His breath caught in his throat when a lock of silvery-blond hair fell across the Slytherin's left eye. _You've got to look away, Harry. Before Hermione – or worse; Ron – notices. _

It was troubling when he found that he couldn't take his eyes off the wanted Lucius Malfoy's heir. Draco's eyes ensnared him and he had to fight the urge to blush at being caught staring. 

**********

Draco had no intention of looking over at the Gryffindors, but it had become habit for him to scan for a familiar dark-haired boy since the beginning of the school year. This morning, instead of meeting the surface of a gray stone wall, like at all the other meal times, he met bespectacled, brilliant emerald eyes. _Damndamndamn..._ He didn't want to look away but he had to, out of necessity. 

He also noticed that he was given strange looks by the students as he made his way down the Hall and he couldn't help but feel cautious. He kept his normal icy expression as he came forward, moving lithely toward his usual seat. He noted that not only were the Slytherins giving him queer looks, the other students had shot him glances that came perilously close to being open hatred. He wondered how he managed not to blurt out his thoughts under so many spiteful gazes and the smug expression on Leren's face alerted his inner sense that something was not quite right. 

He sat down in one graceful move, flanked by his 'bodyguards', and once again, he met the emerald eyes looking at him from across the Hall. Something stirred inside him; a kind of fuzzy warmth was building and he felt it release slowly into his system. _I'm a lovesick fool..._ Eyes still locked with Harry's – oblivious to the stares of his housemates – he sipped on his mango juice (the house-elves seemed to enjoy giving the students tropical treats at the end of the school term) dreamily. It certainly did not cross the prefect's mind to examine his Head of House but Snape was definitely eyeing him. Draco was almost halfway finished with his breakfast when he heard Snape's projected voice echo throughout the cavernous Hall.

"Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Potter," the Potions Master called their names sibilantly. "Come with me to my office," Snape instructed in a cold, dispassionate voice as he rose from his chair. All eyes were on the Potions Master as he strode out of the Hall, his robes flowing about him in an almost magical way. Some of the Slytherins smirked as soon as Snape was out of sight. 

__

All right, something is definitely up... but what? Draco glanced at Leren, feeling slightly baffled when he saw that the captain still had the self-satisfied expression on his face. He almost threw his half-eaten scone back on the plate but to do so would have been incredibly childish. Hence, he opted to vanish it instead. A glint of metal caught his eye; Harry had already gotten out of his seat and was strolling calmly out of the Hall. 

With a great deal of dignity, he gracefully followed in the wake of The Boy Who Lived. Once out of sight from the Hall, his face immediately assumed a bad-tempered expression. He fixed his eyes on the mop of Harry's thick black hair and watched as he disappeared down the stairs. 

As he made his descent, his silver eyes flashed in surprise upon finding Harry leaning casually against the damp stone wall at the bottom of the steps. His frown intensified when Harry unfolded his arms and lazily lifted his right hand a few inches from his chest. That gesture was more than enough to stop Draco's progress. 

"What do you want, _Potter_?" he grated, sounding seriously annoyed. Harry moved away from the wall and faced him squarely.

__

Bloody hell... He trembled before the raven-haired boy. _I didn't know he's as tall as I am now... At least the Weasel's taller. _Harry was gazing at him and he stared back. _Merlin! _Draco thought desperately. _Come on Green-Eyes! Speak up! Blessed Rhiannon! I swear if **you** don't, I think I'm going to kiss you!!! _

He tried to exercise self-control in order to not give Harry the once-over and failed miserably. _Sloppy, skinny Harry Potter has acquired a feel for fashion. _Harry was wearing a dark-blue (nearly on the verge of being black) collared shirt, smart black slacks and polished black shoes. _Maybe Snape knocked a little fashion sense into his brain... that makes sense. _Just as he was about to reach for the Gryffindor's waist, Harry took his wand out and muttered something too softly for him to catch. The raven-haired boy began tracing the air with his wand and Draco looked at him in puzzlement.

He opened his mouth to ask in an aggravated tone what he thought he was doing when clear, silvery words appeared before him. Looking past the words, he stared into a pair of bright emerald eyes before the owner turned and resumed his walk to the Potions Master's office. He refocused on the ghostly wording. 

__

"I know that you hate me Malfoy, but was there any particular reason why you chose to eavesdrop **and **broadcast to the entire school the news that **Snape **ismy godfather? Did you really have to put **his **life on the line?"

Draco blanched as he read the message. _Merlin help me... **They **knew I listened in._ His brows creased in thought. _No wonder all of them were acting strange... _His thoughts stilled. _Great Merlin! I didn't tell anyone! _With that, he sped off and in no time at all, he overtook Harry. He actually bumped against the lean figure in his haste to get to the office.

"Sir!" was the first word that emerged from his mouth as soon as he caught sight of Snape, then he muttered a Silencing Charm over the office for good measure, "I haven't told anyone about it!"

Snape's gaze on him would have withered the sturdiest of hearts quicker than it would take a magical cleaning solution to clear a mess. The Potions Master's face remained bland but his voice was tinged with skepticism. "Is that so, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape questioned him. "Then how is it that my conversation with Potter was overheard by the entire school?"

"I admit it's my fault that I didn't think to cast a silencing spell when I came here last night," Harry said as he shut the door with a careless kick of his heel and leaned against the wall, watching the other two in the room calmly. Draco couldn't help giving a slight sneer at the Gryffindor's admission. Mercurially, the Slytherin's face morphed into something more serious. 

"I _did_ listen to your conversation," he said softly, his eyes not leaving Snape's face. "_But _I am _not _responsible for the second accusation... I guess." He finally dropped his eyes. Harry raised an eyebrow at the uncertainty in Draco's voice. "I should have paid more attention during the feast yesterday." Harry and Snape exchanged a quizzical glance and waited for him to continue. "I believe I was hexed," Draco finally stated following a long sigh. 

Snape caught Harry's eye nodding slightly and the Gryffindor gave him a knowing look. Draco was unaware of the significant glances shooting across the room as he focused on a spot between his shoes. 

"So it _was_ Montague," Draco heard Harry conclude, thus breaking the silence. He looked at the raven-haired youth curiously. "Don't worry about it Malfoy." Harry turned to Snape. "If you're done with me, I'm going back up to the Hall. I haven't told them about Dumbledore's arrangement." 

Snape nodded his assent and Draco listened to the soft clicks of Harry's shoes echoing in the corridor. He was not aware that Snape had closed the distance between them until he felt Snape's warm hand clasping his right shoulder.

"You have to be more careful Draco," Snape said to him in a soft voice and Draco stared at him in surprise.

"You're not angry?" he asked in an incredulous voice.

"Don't be absurd!" Snape snapped. "It was bound to happen anyway... although I would have preferred to be exposed sometime after the Dark Lord's demise." Snape smiled faintly at him. Draco blinked his eyes, feeling rather confused by Snape's behavior. _Snape has a sense of **humor**? Someone slap me if this is a joke. _He stared at the Potions Master's face. _He definitely looks tired... worn-out rather. _

Snape stared into Draco's eyes, wondering if he should hand over the object Harry had made specially for him. _Not too soon. I don't think Harry wants him to get suspicious. Looks like I have to make a trip down to King's Cross after all. _

Draco waited for the Potions Master to speak but Snape seemed to be lost in his thoughts. "Sir?" he asked inquiringly and Snape was brought back to reality.

"Be careful around them. You know to whom I am referring, but especially Montague. And of course," Snape paused before he continued, "your parents." 

The mention of his parents made Draco feel depressed. _Why the hell do I have to go back to that miserable place? _He ignored the unsettling feeling and asked the Potions Master in an attempt to drive off his bleak thoughts, "How did _you _know about Montague?" 

Snape's black eyes stared penetratingly into his. "One recognizes the scent of one's kind," the Potions Master answered cautiously. 

Draco nearly smiled at the Potions Master's choice of words. _Has he taken up with the werewolf? That's new. Well... maybe not **that** new..._

"Other than that," Snape let go of his shoulder and placed his long callused fingers gently on Draco's right temple. The Slytherin held his breath. That simple gesture – other than a sign of benediction – was also a sign that Snape wanted his word for secrecy. Snape didn't quite know himself why he was going to say what he would to the boy in the next few seconds. "Ha – Potter... has acquired a few new talents – no. Not as a Legilimens – " the Potions Master explained, "– but the outcome of the recent duel has sensitized him. Suffice it enough to say that Potter has achieved a certain level of... Empathy." 

__

That certainly explained Green-Eyes aloofness... Draco mused and noticed the slight hesitation in Snape's voice as the older wizard mentioned 'Empathy'. _He's certainly implying a lot of things in that word. So, Green-Eyes can 'feel' what others are feeling. _He sighed. _That means I have to be very careful of my own feelings when he's near. Guess I have to bring those 'I-hate-Four-eyed-Potty' feelings up to the fore... _

"You should go back to your breakfast," Snape finally said. 

He looked at the Potions Master's weary face and bit his lip unconsciously. _Do I tell him now? _"Sir, I – " he stopped, unable to continue.

Snape frowned, eyes showing his concern. "What is it?"

"It's nothing. I'd better go." He quickly left the office before Snape could even get another word out.

**********

****

Back at the Hall.

Draco strolled confidently back to the Hall, his trademark sneer already plastered on his face and his eyes automatically seeking out a pair of distinct emerald eyes. _Hmmm... Why on earth is Granger looking as though she unwittingly swallowed a mouthful of vomit-flavored 'Every Flavor Beans'? Yuck! Why on earth are you thinking such things at breakfast? _Draco reprimanded himself. His eyes scanned the Gryffindor table once more and he caught sight of Ginny's crestfallen look. _What on earth has Dumbledore planned for him? His friends certainly don't look happy. _

He went back to his seat, staring icily at Goyle to make way for him. _And as for my dear captain... _He smiled nastily at the captain sitting across from him. Leren stared at him nervously. _I should have discerned it for myself earlier. _He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and refocused his Vision. _It's weak, _he mused as he watched the captain's aura pulse with a distinctive reddish-black light similar to his mother's. He dropped his Sight and casually picked up a custard puff. _Snape knows that **he **has new talents. Did he see it for himself, or did Green-Eyes tell him? And I wonder... can he also tell who are the Dark Lord's latest recruits? _

"What did Snape say?" Leren whispered urgently.

Draco wanted to drag the captain out to the courtyard and experiment with his Fire but dropped the idea. He didn't want anyone to know about his Gifts, considering that the kind of magic he exhibited was certainly _not_ found in the current wizarding world. He faked a smile and heard Harry make a small sound. His eyes swiftly found the Gryffindor, and it seemed to him like Harry knew he was feigning the smile. Silver eyes bored down on emerald ones in a challenge. _So what if all my smiles are faked? _Draco turned his attention back to the Quidditch captain. "What can he do? And you should have told me what happened last night. I might have better prepared myself for today." He raised his voice a little. "If you ask me, _they _should have been more careful." 

He was staring so intently at Leren that he missed the hard look Harry had shot in his direction. Draco examined the captain. _What does he want to find out? Trying to see if I will be joining my father? Or the other side? This generation of Slytherins still has much more to learn, I guess..._

**********

****

Forty-five minutes later.

Harry heard pure venom dripping from Draco's voice as he and his friends walked over to where the Thestrals – with the carriages – were waiting. _Just ignore them. You've certainly ignored them for months..._

"Potty! Never knew you would consider sucking up to that greasy old bat!" Draco sneered. Harry continued to ignore the Slytherin prefect, helping Ginny with her trunk instead. That done, he moved on to help Luna; she had an extra trunk filled with ancient Defence books that she had acquired with the help of her father. "Serves him right though! _Father_ will be extremely glad to serve _him_ to the Dark Lord on a huge silver platter!" 

Harry stopped his movements. _Blasted... stupid ferret! Those taunts of his will probably land him in trouble someday! _The rest of his friends looked nervously at him and at the bunch of Slytherins that had gathered around. _Must you try so hard to be infuriating, Drake? What the hell? Where had **that **come from? Oh, I knew where **it **came from. Drake's much shorter compared to Silvery, _Harry thought, calming himself by taking several deep breaths. He counted to three before he turned to face the prefect. He remained silent. _And there's that annoying smirk of his. Certainly not the first time I've contemplated hexing his face blank, _he thought in irritation. 

"What's the matter Four-Eyes?" Draco sneered. The Slytherins let out evil laughs. "Cat got your tongue?" the pale-haired boy asked sweetly.

"You want to know something, git?" Ron's strong baritone reached their ears. "You really should stop taunting _him_. Considering that he's not himself this year, you know – " the redheaded prefect came into view with a thoughtful look on his face. 

Harry was a little surprised with his friend. _Seems like giving him the Prefect badge certainly hasn't harmed his maturity, _Harry thought with amusement. Hermione was directly behind her tall partner, glaring fiercely at the Slytherins. Crabbe and Goyle stepped back and soon, more Slytherins followed. They had reason to. Right behind the two Gryffindor prefects were several good friends – Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw, Lewis Oakfield (a fifth-year Hufflepuff Beater who knocked Crabbe off his broom twice during matches), and some of the original DA members. All of them had their wands out. 

Ron spoke again. "Where was I? Oh yeah, since _he _is not himself and he might actually snap." The prefect looked at the Slytherins menacingly. 

Hermione stepped in. "As much as I loathe your lot, I would really feel sorry if _he_ were to vanquish you before my eyes today." Then in an undertone, "Not that I would miss you..." 

Harry saw Draco snarl and stared in amazement as the Slytherin pointed his wand at Hermione. _Playing Seeker without me getting in the way has certainly helped him refine his reflexes! _Without thinking, he wrenched Draco's hand so that the Slytherin's wand pointed at his chest.

"Let go of my arm." Draco hissed, eyes widening in anger. The Slytherin paled when he tightened his grip on Draco's wrist.

__

Bloody hell! Harry's body and mind were swarming with peculiar tingles. _What on earth is wrong with – **in **him? _He tried with all his might not to wince, or to push Draco away. _He's **different**... _He abandoned that thought and concentrated on a more immediate problem. He wouldn't be able to see the Slytherin again until another school year began. _Should I, or shouldn't I? _He felt Draco tensing under his touch and he decided quickly. 

**__**

~ Malfoy – No, don't react to what I'm saying. I assure you, you're not going insane. This is what I call mind-speech although it's forbidden in the wizarding world. I must say that it's an extremely useful means of communication. Just keep scowling. ~ Harry formed his thought carefully.

**__**

~ Potter? ~ Draco's mental voice echoed back uncertainly. 

**__**

~ Yes, it's me. I have a few words to say. Remember that some things can go either way: to your advantage or disadvantage. ~ The visible flash in Draco's eyes told him that the Slytherin understood what he was trying to say and Harry continued. **_~ You have to be careful. Dumbledore can't be everywhere at the right time. Snape was supposed to keep an eye on you but that's rather impossible now. ~ _**

Draco gave a growl and struggled a little.

**__**

~ What makes you think I need someone to watch over me? ~ The Slytherin's mind-voice was steely. 

**__**

~ No time to argue Malfoy. Look. Keep both your eyes open and put all you've learned in Defence to good use if the occasion warrants it. Some of Dumbledore's people will be checking on you from time to time. Like it or not, Dumbledore is as fond of you as he is of Snape. ~

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME ARE YOU DOING?!" the voice of Professor McGonagall pierced the air.

**__**

~ Bloody hell... Just be careful. ~ Harry spoke the last words quickly before he severed the connection with the Slytherin prefect. The Slytherins scattered away as the Transfiguration professor strode toward them. 

Harry slowly released Draco's and fought the need to recapture the graceful hand. The Slytherin stared daggers at him and muttered several vulgarities in his direction as he moved off to his waiting carriage.

"It was nothing, Professor," Harry answered even before McGonagall could begin to interrogate him. His eyes were still on Draco. McGonagall gave him a dubious look before ordering the rest of them to get into their carriages.

**********

****

At Hogsmeade Station.

Draco stared about him in amazement. Everywhere he looked, he saw Aurors loitering about. He doubted that all of the Aurors present were in plain sight. _They're boarding the train too? What in the hell is going on? _

"Mr. Malfoy," the weary voice he recognized as the werewolf's called out. "I think it may be wise for you to get on the train now."

Draco answered in a noncommittal manner. Just as he was about to go, he saw Harry hugging Ginny tightly. His head spun and he clutched at the railing. _Bloody hell... I'm **jealous**. _He watched the raven-haired youth giving similar hugs to Hermione and Luna Lovegood and his eyes bulged horribly when Luna gave him a kiss. He was eased somewhat by the baffled look Harry shot at Ginny before he was pulled into a brotherly embrace by Ron.

"Harry, we're ready," Dumbledore's voice called out. 

Instead of boarding the train, Harry, along with his trunks, moved in the direction of Hogsmeade village. He watched as Harry waved briefly at his friends and for a few seconds, he thought he saw Harry looking in his direction. He climbed the last few steps and began searching for an empty compartment. _Damnation. He isn't boarding the train because it's not safe for him to do so. He's trying to make it safer for the rest of us to get home. _

He walked past Pansy's gang and the other compartments, finally arriving at an empty one. _Bloody hell. First, I start my day with everyone giving me strange looks, the whole school knows that Snape is a **godfather**, Green-Eyes gives me a warning that help may not come when I'm in trouble, and now, the Dark Lord may have ideas to hijack the train. _He stuffed his trunk in an overhead rack and placed his eagle owl on the seat across from his, flopping onto his own gracelessly. _I definitely am **not** looking forward to my summer holiday that's for certain..._ He sighed and his eyes grew distant, not noticing when the train began to move fifteen minutes later.

**********

**__**

Firesword:

You've come to the end of the story. Just kidding ; ) You've come to the end of Chapter 3 and I hope that I've answered at least some of the questions that were raised after reading the two previous chapters. Allexandrya (she's one of my betas) posed a rather interesting question when she was looking through Chapter 3. The question was can Harry only communicate with mindspeech using body contact. And this was what my other beta HH says: *As for the mind-speech thing, I got it right away that Harry has to be touching Draco for it to occur - if not, he could've spoken to him like that earlier. Unless of course, he was just using it as an opportunity to touch Drake ; )* **_Heheee… What do you think? I'll leave it to you guys to contemplate Green-Eyes was taking the opportunity to get his hands on his silver-eyed counterpart! *grins* I'm sure you guys are waiting for the moment when Draco receives the gift that Harry had made especially for him. That] you will see in the upcoming chapter! I will be updating soon… as soon as me and my betas are finished with Chapter 4. But not after I get at least ten reviews! *Try and figure out if I'm joking about this. ; ) *_**


	4. Journey from Hogwarts

Firesword: Sorry about the delay. I didn't want to post this until I hand in Chapter 5 to my betas! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!  
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**~ Chapter 4: Journey from Hogwarts ~**

Harry ignored the stares and the knowing whispers of the folk around him as he and Dumbledore moved toward the Hog's Head Inn. Guiding his floating belongings with his wand, he cursorily examined his surroundings. There were undercover Aurors present as well as members of the Order. The latter group had grown considerably since the Halloween attacks last year. Some of them claimed to have known Harry's parents, which was entirely plausible. Snape, Sirius and Lupin couldn't have been the only students who had graduated from Hogwarts alongside his parents. They might not have had the courage then, but they were certainly making up for lost time now. 

Harry had quite a shock when Dumbledore introduced him to the owner of the Hog's Head the previous summer while he was studying Occlumency with Snape. The bartender, whom he had thought very familiar when he and the others met there to discuss the formation of 'Dumbledore's Army' nearly two years ago, was in fact Dumbledore's older brother. Because Aberforth was the one who kept an eye on strange happenings in Hogsmeade, the Headmaster simply introduced Aberforth as Ol' Gull. No one knew, except Lupin and Snape, that Ol'Gull was actually the Headmaster's kin. 

They went into the tavern unhindered – the crowd automatically parted for the well-respected Headmaster – and Dumbledore approached the counter and engaged in soft conversation with the bartender on duty. The latter nodded and he went off to fetch Ol' Gull. Harry, in the meantime, gave the taproom a thorough examination. He recognized four members of the Order and three Aurors. All were dressed in nondescript clothing to fit in with the odd crowd that frequented the inn. Harry recognized Tonks immediately. The young Auror and Order member was disguised as a very grumpy old witch who looked as if she could do with a visit to the dentist. 

Before the duel in which Voldemort had attempted to strip away his magical abilities, he'd had to rely on Tonks' hints as to her true identity. Usually, the Metamorphmagus would wear a thick black leather choker or she would leave a lock of her hair a different color from the rest. Now, he only had to look at her aura and the sensation it gave him. Her aura was simple in comparison to her character. She had a pale violet aura surrounding her (some Chinese witches believe that people whose auras are in shades of purple become vengeful ghosts after death) and he himself believed that she definitely had the potential to be vengeful, given the right incentive. Of course, there were a lot of other witches who had pale violet auras, so he relied on the second attribute for confirmation. If he felt a super hyperactive, swift and bubbly sensation in his soul, he'd know that it was the Metamorphmagus. 

Harry's gaze automatically fell on two solemn-looking wizards drinking in an isolated corner. Reading them produced a sickly sensation at the bottom of his stomach and it made his skin crawl. _They're Voldemort's. _Harry looked over at Mundungus 'Dung' Fletcher who blinked his eyes once. _Dung has changed quite a bit since Voldemort's last attack. Moody must have given him strict orders not to fool around so much. He is certainly doing a great job keeping an eye on things now. _He relaxed, just a little. The others had already taken the two men, wizards of middle-class talent, into account. It may have been wiser for Voldemort to have Squibs to do his spying. Since they were born without magic, Squibs learned to rely on their stealth skills to survive and remain unsuspected. Wizards on the other hand, especially the middle-class talent ones Voldemort sent out, tended to be sloppy, leaving behind residuals of their magic which helped the Aurors to track them. 

"Welcome back," a scratchy voice called out to him and a grim-faced wizard with grayish shoulder-length hair strode forward and beckoned for him to follow. He obeyed, carefully stepping so that he didn't present his back to the Death Eaters watching him and Dumbledore. _I wonder what Dumbledore's going to do with them. Let them go? _Aberforth led the two of them to the foot of a staircase. "Fourth door on your left. _He _knows which is the correct _key_. Be careful when you're on your own lad." Aberforth turned to his brother. "And I want to talk to _you _later. Make sure Harry is safe before you get down to the Quartz."

Harry tilted his head in curiosity. _What on earth is the Quartz? Is it the Headquarters? _The question must have shown on his face because a second later the Dumbledore brothers winked at him. 

"Don't worry about it," Aberforth said gruffly before he was gone, presumably back to his office and his accounting. 

Harry gave a slight shrug and flicked his wand. His belongings (Hedwig gave a startled shriek as she was squashed to one side) floated several inches higher at a sharp angle and they ascended the stairs. Dumbledore was the first to enter the door and he signaled to Harry to wait a moment. Harry paused by the door, waiting patiently for the older wizard to call for him. When Dumbledore did, he stepped into a room that was literally carpeted with brass keys. But the Headmaster's eyes were on a dark green scabbard. There were also other colored scabbards strewn across the room. 

Dumbledore finally looked up at him. "Are you ready?" the older wizard questioned and he nodded, tucking his wand away into a specially designed pocket and taking Hedwig's cage and his broom while the Headmaster took hold of his trunk. He drew a deep breath and as Dumbledore said 'Three' he placed his index finger on the scabbard.

__

Bloody hell! He groaned as he felt the familiar tugging sensation just behind his navel and felt as if he had lost his balance. His eardrums popped again and again as he whirled and then...

CRASH!!!!

Dumbledore gave a loud yell as the table collapsed under their weight. _Merlin's wand! Oh hell... This is going to hurt... _Harry let his body stay limp and closed his eyes tight waiting for the impact. A loud thud filled the living room as both wizards landed flat on their backs. Well, as flat as they could with the broken table beneath them. Harry winced when Hedwig let out a loud indignant shriek in his ear. "Professor Dumbledore?" he whispered and a cough came from the old sorcerer. 

"I'm fine Harry," Dumbledore wheezed as he sat up giving a small yelp when he felt a splinter of wood pierce deep into his finger. "You could have told me you did a little renovation in here," the old wizard grumbled before muttering a spell to remove the piece of wood from his flesh. 

"_This_ wasn't my idea!" Harry protested in an innocent voice. _I don't know which is worse. Floo-ing or Portkey-ing. _He raised himself from his reclined position and quickly opened his owl's cage before she could throw a tantrum. Hedwig gave him a painful nip on the wrist before launching herself toward her perch, facing one of the windows of the living room: the perch had been created with the help of his second godfather. He got shakily to his feet and assisted Dumbledore in standing up. Harry tried not to groan as he stared at the mess they had created in the middle of Snape's living room. He tried not to imagine how the Potions Master would react if he came in to see his favorite table smashed into pieces. 

Dumbledore rubbed his back as he stared at the table. The older wizard did not bother to use his wand but muttered a soft incantation directed at the mess before them. Harry felt Dumbledore's magic vibrating in the room and winced when a blinding flash of blue light filled the space. _This irritating sense had better disappear before I come face to face with Voldemort again. _Closing his eyes made no difference so he waited patiently until the light faded into a tolerable blue haze and felt relieved when he saw Snape's table once again stood on all four legs. He watched the Headmaster silently as the older wizard opened the front door and stepped outside; presumably the wizard was checking the perimeter. The Headmaster returned with a satisfied look. 

"It appears that everything is as it should be. Do feel free to weave your own protections later," Dumbledore spoke to him in a lively voice. 

"Do you have a minute sir?" Harry asked as he hung Hedwig's cage on a hook. He turned just in time to see the Headmaster nodding his head. "Can you please tell me why you were smiling this morning?"

"Would you have felt better if I had frowned instead?" Dumbledore responded in a teasing manner and Harry scowled darkly. "All right, all right. I'll tell you why. The news that Severus is your godfather and that he's an oathbreaker – to Voldemort of course – are actually the first steps toward the successful unification of Hogwarts. Your godfather was rather apprehensive when I called him to my office last night; kept babbling that you shouldn't be with him or he shouldn't come here to stay with you. He was also blathering on about how he might be putting the lives of the Weasley family in danger. You have no idea how hard I tried to reassure him that Arthur's family is not only protected by me and you," Dumbledore said in a resigned tone, though his lips quivered as if suppressing a smile, "but by every single magical being who has decided that Voldemort certainly overstepped his bounds. In fact, the whole of Ottery St. Catchpole is protected." The old sorcerer scratched his beard thoughtfully.

Harry blinked as he considered the wizard's words. It was at that point when something incredulous hit him. _Draco did not! He was already with us since the beginning of the year?! _"Professor..." he began slowly. "Are you saying that the idea of last year's summer camp; the one that was arranged by Hermione, Ron and the other prefects especially for first and second year students; was part of the unification process? If so, why didn't you _say_ so? I would have spared my best friends the heartache!" Harry glared at him, remembering how unresponsive he had been when his friends told him they would be away for a week; the thought that he was to stay at The Burrow with only Ginny and the twins for company had made him uncomfortable.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he nodded. "I'm surprised it took you this long to notice it. Draco was also part of the program you know. In fact," the Headmaster spoke in a significant manner and Harry squirmed when he detected the mischievous glint in the Headmaster's eyes, "Draco Malfoy was the one who came up with the idea of a summer camp in order to establish early bonds between the young Gryffindors and Slytherins."

Harry's eyes widened and Dumbledore chuckled. Harry fought to maintain his expression of impassivity. _Dragon's teeth... _He was filled with a great sense of shame. _I **am **transparent. Even Dumbledore managed to find out how I feel about Draco... _"It really makes sense. The summer camp idea I mean. Younger people are much, much easier to influence so you may as well immerse them with a positive attitude early in their lives." He was proud at how calm he sounded, although his stomach was attempting a couple of somersaults. 

"I agree. But I believe we could really do without the sheer stupidity and blind recklessness that seems to manifest quite frequently in Gryffindors. Even the sheer cowardice of some Slytherins would be of help, sometimes," Dumbledore added and Harry gave him an offended look. "Well, I shall leave you to your home now. I believe Severus will be in the meeting with Kingsley and the other members for another three hours or so. They are discussing what he has found out about Voldemort's recent movements. The only problem is, Voldemort and his fellows have been far too quiet since the last attack. Also, Emmeline has several suggestions for Severus regarding spells that will certainly be of use to you, aside from sitting at a desk and writing Potions essays," Dumbledore spoke brightly. "Your godfather also told me that he has an errand to run, to deliver a gift I believe," Harry's face reddened slightly, "so he will most likely not get here until nightfall."

Harry nodded. "If I have need of you, I'll get you through the portrait."

"I, for one, do not understand why you keep addressing me as 'The Portrait'. If you are still bitter about my great-great grandson's death, why didn't you get _his_ portrait to do the dirty job instead?" a muffled voice emerged from the study. 

"Has Harry been hard on you, Phineas?" Dumbledore called out.

"I can't even begin to describe his rudeness," the portrait of Phineas Nigellus stated in a dry voice. Harry only raised his eyebrow at that. 

"Oh, one other thing Harry." Dumbledore looked intently at him. "How do you feel about Professor Lupin?"

Harry arched an eyebrow, wondering just what Dumbledore was asking. Dumbledore did not speak and he debated if he should say anything. Then he spoke of something that had crossed his mind several times when he caught the werewolf watching his second godfather from a distance. "What do I feel about Moony? Sometimes I really wish that I could conjure up a well and drown him. I used to wonder why Sirius and my father gave him the nickname 'Moony' but I have some doubt that they were simply thinking about him and the full moon." Harry snorted.

"So you do not mind if I have my own plans to match-make them?" Dumbledore asked eagerly and Harry shook his head helplessly as he chuckled.

"Does Professor McGonagall know that you have a part-time job? Anyway, why should _I_ mind? Sev has had his eye on Remus ever since they got drunk together. No," Harry quickly asserted when Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak, "_That _was before I flew to Hogwarts on my own to find you."

"Oh. I'm surprised that Severus confessed his feelings for Remus to you."

"Confess?" Harry gave another snort. "That stubborn bat confessing to a youth half his age? You're quite mistaken Professor. I had to practically dissect him to get the answer." 

Dumbledore chuckled lightly. "By the way, I have a piece of advice Harry. If you happen to tell Molly how you came to live with Severus over the summer last year, I think it would be wise of you to omit the bit about _flying_ off to Hogwarts without a rearguard. If you won't take it as advice, please look upon it as a favor to me," Dumbledore said, his face distorted into a pitiful expression.

"Mrs. Weasley is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to children, isn't she?" Harry gave a crooked smile. 

"I'm glad you understand my fear of Molly," the sorcerer replied gravely.

Harry smiled. "If matchmaking my godfather and Professor Lupin makes you happy, I'll be glad to lend a hand. Sometimes I've found myself wondering if they have ever kissed. If not, then maybe I'll get them to," Harry mused. "I'll call on you if anything comes up," the raven-haired youth said and the Headmaster gave a final nod before touching the scabbard and disappearing from the house. 

Harry stood alone in the center of the living room. It was just past noon now and he looked around. Sunlight reflected off the pale yellow walls, casting a hazy, ethereal light around the room. He gave a small smile when he remembered how his second godfather reacted when he saw Harry's renovation work. Snape had woken up one bright morning to find his dark velvet curtains folded neatly and set aside, and replaced by creamy-beige curtains. His plain, stark white walls had been painted with a shade of pale yellow and were decorated with a divider: Harry's handwritten charms. 

A soft cry from the kitchen snapped him out of his thoughts and he smiled when his owl gave an answering hoot. Hedwig flew off and he followed her to the kitchen and opened the window for her. 

"Hello Hawke," he greeted the snowy owl perched solemnly outside the window. He held out his palm and the male owl butted his cheek against the human's warm palm before nibbling gently on Harry's finger. Hawke gave an inquiring hoot. "Yes you may take Hedwig out for a hunt but be careful. By the way, do you have any idea where Black is hiding right now? I'm surprised he wasn't here to greet me when I arrived."

The answer to that came ten seconds later when he heard a soft rumbling purr followed by scratching noises on the door that led out to the woods. Harry opened it and Black trotted forward to twine himself around his legs. "I see that I've been missed," he whispered and watched as the two owls flew off in the direction of the forest. "Why don't you keep me company while I unpack? Then we'll come back down here and see what we can conjure up for dinner." The obsidian-furred Persian cat gave a purr of agreement and headed out of the kitchen. It sprang up and landed gracefully on the top of Harry's trunk. _It's good to be home. I wish I had killed Voldemort... I think I need a holiday without thoughts of a Dark Lord and his lunatics creeping through my mind every second. _

**********

****

Inside the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione stared at the compartment door angrily. The bushy-haired Prefect was fuming so hard that she was almost unrecognizable, even to Ron. Malfoy and his gang had tried to fulfill their yearly farewell visit by visiting Harry's usual company. The only problem was, the object of the Slytherins' hatred wasn't around to witness the confrontation. Malfoy had uttered several lewd descriptions of Harry and Snape together when Hermione's temper snapped and she cast a hex that gave _all _ofthe Slytherins a massive, pounding, intolerable migraine. 

"You will bloody well leave us alone **now** Malfoy, or I swear..." she had hissed, gripping her wand so tightly that her knuckles went white. Draco dragged himself out of her sight and his followers trailed after him slowly. 

"How long will that last?" Luna calmly slipped her wand back under her robes and sat down. 

"Just a few minutes," Hermione answered stiffly as she flung herself beside Ron. Her boyfriend reached for her hand and held it gently before squeezing. She returned the squeeze a moment later and let out a long sigh. "Don't worry. I feel better now. I am beginning to think that the little white ferret was actually doing us a service," she said, smiling slyly. Ron merely lifted an eyebrow in inquiry and waited for her to elaborate.

"All the hexing and jinxing today has been a good way to relieve stress," she answered, making all her friends except Ginny produce light chuckles. Ron's sister was staring blankly at the window. The redheaded girl had been silent since Harry told them during breakfast that he would not be going home via the Hogwarts Express. It could be Harry's lack of explanation that had made her moody.

Ron noticed the forlorn look on Ginny's face and looked worriedly at her but maintained his silence. He had been wanting to ask his partner something but had not found the courage to do so. "'Mione, what do you reckon is going on with Malfoy?" he whispered in her ear. "He's been acting weird this year but his reaction today was almost genuine."

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I'm beginning to believe that you've matured Ron. I certainly didn't expect you to note _his _behavior," she said mildly and he made a face at her. "Seriously though... I have no explanation. He hasn't been giving Harry, or us for that matter, the standard dosage of insults. Of course, that could also be because Harry has been avoiding confrontations."

Ron sighed. "It's too bad that we aren't likely to find out why the git was acting like that. But I wonder if he really doesn't care for that old bat. Snape _did _treat him better than the rest."

Hermione gave him a sidelong glance. "Do you want to hear my personal opinion? I'm going to tell you irregardless... I think the hostility he showed us this morning was nothing more than pretense. No, don't ask me why. I just instinctively know it was a façade. Somehow, I believe that there is a good side to Draco that he's unwilling to show." Ron didn't make any comment to that.

**********

****

An hour later.

Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prefect, was being exclusively tortured by a pounding headache. _Damn it! I know the Mudblood's curse on me was temporary so why in the nine hells is my head still pounding? _Traveling inside a speeding train certainly was not helping him. Just as he was thinking that his headache could not get any worse, the sight of his ex-girlfriend and her group of girls undid his faith. _Blessed Rhiannon! _He gave a silent groan. _Take pity on me! _That thought made him snort to himself. _As if I deserve pity in the first place. Damn, blasted headache._

He stared out of the window, fervently praying that the girls would leave him alone and bother someone else. Unfortunately for him, the group made themselves at home in his compartment. Invading _his _private space. 

"Draco," Pansy purred and he shuddered at her voice. "I still can't believe that Snape kept you in the dark about the fact that he has been siding with Potter all this time. I wonder if all the ranting, glares and docking of house points in the last five years toward The Boy Who Lived were really genuine." The girl leaned closer toward him and tried to hug him. Over the course of the last several years, he began to realize that she was becoming more and more like the she-dragon he had hated ever since he was old enough to understand human conversation. 

The thought of scandalizing his 'friends' by telling them that his hatred for Harry was not really hatred at all gave him great pleasure. Of course, five years ago, he had been too young and uncertain of what he felt. He knew better now that he bore not malice, but admiration and compassion for the raven-haired youth who was always struggling to survive. If he could, he would clearly shout to the world that he cared for Harry. He would also shout that the one he hates was none other than his own mother, the she-dragon. 

His headache had turned into an all-out migraine. _Maybe it's because I'm thinking too hard, _he advised himself. He shifted in his seat and asked Pansy in an annoyed tone, "Why do you always assume that I know _everything _about Snape?"

"Because you're his pet! Why else?" Pansy answered as if she could not believe that he had asked something so obvious. His hold on his temper dissolved instantly, his silver eyes flashing brightly with barely suppressed anger. Activating his Vision, Draco gathered a tiny amount of air with his will and energized it, making it denser. In a fraction of a second he directed the ball of energy over to Pansy at a frightening speed. Pansy's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell from her seat to the floor, unmoving. The other four girls in the compartment stared at him in disbelief.

He stared impassively at the form of the motionless girl-prefect. _Bloody hell… I didn't mean to stun her that seriously. Maybe I should have told Snape about my problems. My control over this magical ability has certainly grown shaky over the years. Blast it! The only question is, will there be **anyone** who understands this form of magic? I don't feel like talking to Dumbledore. _The familiar voice of a Gryffindor Mudblood jarred his thoughts. _Oh damn. _

"Malfoy!" Hermione yelled. Her eyes were round with terror. "What did you do to her?" she demanded.

Draco gracefully raised an eyebrow, ignoring the powerful play-works inside his head. "I didn't do anything," he answered smugly. _I'm in trouble. I hope that she wasn't standing by the door when Pansy made her insulting remark. I know Millicent and the rest are so thick-skulled that they do not realize I stunned Pansy without using my wand. But **this** girl **would have **noticed. _

"Yeah right," Hermione responded sarcastically. "So you want me to believe that she's suffering fainting spells?" she asked him harshly as she examined the other prefect. "The two of you!" Her eyes fell onto Millicent Bulstrode and another girl that seemed to be suffering from anorexia. "Take your friends somewhere else and stay out of this compartment," she ordered and the Slytherin girls complied immediately. Hermione gave him a last suspicious look before leaving to resume her patrol. 

Draco sighed in relief and massaging his temple, he thought about how the Slytherins' followed orders without question. _This submissive behavior of theirs is really disturbing. _Hours passed, though not without interruptions. His 'friends' had tried to visit him to ask more questions about the Potions Master; this time it took less than two minutes before they managed to aggravate him to the point that he used his wand on them. They immediately got his message and the smoky trio (Montague, Goyle and Crabbe) left the compartment. 

Blaise Zabini looked back and forth between the compartment and the toasted students. He shrugged then opened the door to Draco's compartment and ignored the scowling prefect as he went over to the other side. He came back the next minute and closed the door quietly. Much to the amusement of a group of Ravenclaws and Slytherins (both on the opposite side of Draco's compartment), Zabini created a large floating banner with silver words flashing. It said: _'Dragon's awake and irritable. Enter at your own peril. Signed: Zabini.'_  


**********

Hermione had a cheery expression on her face as she chatted with Neville and Ron. _Well, I can't put on a long face. Ron's already worried about Ginny, he doesn't need to be worried about me. At least Harry promised us that he will join us at The Burrow from the 18th of August._

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Harry will drag Snape with him to The Burrow?"

Ron choked on his Chocolate Frog. The expression on his face told her that he had not considered the possibility. "Blimey!"

Hermione chuckled. "Let's not think about it then," she said as she rested her head against Ron's shoulder and turned her thoughts inward. _I'd swear that Draco did something to Pansy, but I've never seen anyone use the old magic except for Dumbledore and Harry. We found Harry was capable of it when he dragged me and Ron to cast protection spells around Hagrid's hut (after the centaurs tried to set fire to it) while he was away on an errand for Dumbledore. I'm really getting confused where Draco's concerned. His attempt to unite the younger Gryffindors and Slytherins made me believe that he's not such a bad guy. But what do I know about being the heir of an aristocratic pure-blood wizard family and the child of Death Eaters? If only I knew which side he's on. I **know **Harry would be more than happy to have him with us. Stupid boy. Only a blind fool would not know that he likes the dragon. _She smiled at her thoughts and glanced out the window. _We'll be reaching the station soon… _

**********

Draco stepped down from the train and winced at the babble of noise coming from parents and family members hailing their loved ones. Owls fluttered overhead making his hoot in excitement and he accidentally bumped into someone. Without thinking, Draco mumbled an apology and made his way through the crowd to get to the magical wall. 

Fred blinked his eyes in surprise when he heard the Slytherin apologize. _Did the moon turn purple when I wasn't looking? _

"Fred, get a move on," Charlie, the second eldest of the Weasley siblings instructed, shoving the stocky boy forward. The dragon keeper had caught sight of their younger siblings further back in the crowd. 

"Hey there!" Ron greeted and looked around. "Where's George?"

"Minding the shop, Ronniekins," Fred answered cheerfully. "So... did your girlfriend like the necklace me and my brilliant twin picked out?" he asked cheekily.

Hermione gasped and Ron looked guiltily at her. "You told me you're the one who chose it!" she wailed and pretended to sulk as she tiptoed to kiss Fred's cheek. She bobbed her head in greeting to Charlie.

"Hey, enough talking," Charlie interrupted, eyes scanning the crowd. "Let's go to Percy's house. Yes Ron, Percy, Mom and Dad havemade up. About five days ago. Bill made sure of that." Charlie smiled gently at Hermione who was looking uncertain yet hopeful. "Your parents are there too, and no, Percy's still at work. Luna," the dragon keeper turned to the Lovegood girl, "your father owled me to ask that we Weasleys fetch you. He's stuck inside the editorial room."

"No surprise," the Ravenclaw answered, smiling faintly.

"Hey Ginny," Dean called and the only female Weasley sibling instantly went into his arms. "You stay safe and I'll owl you when I head down to Diagon Alley all right?" Ginny nodded and pulled him down for a quick kiss. Charlie looked at his sister with amusement while Fred made a face.

Ginny pinched Fred's arm hard for his teasing as the group of six made their way toward the magical wall, not noticing that a silvery-blond headed boy had been cornered by two Aurors, one of whom had a distinctly sharp nose. 

**********

Draco was scared witless when he found himself being hauled off by a very tall Shacklebolt to a secluded spot. He was wondering if the Auror was there to interrogate him about his father's whereabouts when Kingsley whispered in an exasperated voice to calm down. 

The Auror's partner came closer and Draco couldn't restrain himself from blurting out, "You've got to be kidding!"

"Impudent brat," Snape grumbled. He had drunk Polyjuice Potion to look like Matthew Lemburg, an Auror who also worked as an Obliviator. "You dare make fun of me when it is because of _you_ that I have to go walking around disguised?"

Draco eyed Kingsley speculatively and the Auror took the hint and moved away. "Well," he said, rubbing his nose, "not really making fun of you but you should have taken a sample from someone who almost has the same _attribute_." _This brightens up my day! Pity that I have no natural talent for drawing. I would have sketched him, made some copies and plastered them on the Slytherin notice board with a note that **this **is our Potions Master. _A familiar fragrance reached his nose. "Sir, I assume that you are here for a reason, since you've taken such measures to doll up. I fear however that a certain she-dragon is sniffing around for her infant," he said nervously when the cloying scent of perfume grew stronger.

Snape cursed and thrust his hand into his right pocket. "Roll up your right sleeve and hurry," the Potions Master instructed. Looking at him quizzically, Draco did as he was asked. Quick as a flash of lightning, Snape fastened something on his upper arm. "Should you need any help just think hard that you are in trouble. Damn." Snape uttered. "Kingsley," he whispered and the two 'Aurors' Apparated off the platform. 

__

What on earth was that about? Draco asked himself in bafflement. The cool metallic sensation of the strange accessory made him look down at it. The moment his eyes settled on the securely fastened silver bracelet he thought… _Dear Merlin. Please don't let this be a dream!_

He stared at the bracelet. It was about three centimeters wide and was light and comfortable. Draco knew the object was magically made because there was absolutely no way that a normal bracelet could produce flickering wild green fire surrounding a black dragon curled in slumber. His heart raced in his chest when he realized who the maker was. There was only one person that he knew of who possessed a steady, pulsating bluish-white aura. The person who had made and designed the bracelet was none other than Harry Potter. _I don't deserve this... _Dazedly, he straightened his sleeve and just in time. 

"I was wondering where you were Draco," a silky sweet voice spoke. "No matter. Come. The car's waiting." With that, Narcissa Malfoy turned and set off for the magical barrier. He took a moment to calm himself before he followed in the wake of his birth mother. 

He was passing through the wall when he thought he heard a voice say: **_"You deserve it Drake. No one else deserves it more than you do..." _**He blinked and shook his head. _I'm imagining things. _He hurried when he saw that his mother tapped her foot impatiently. 

**********

****

In Snape's humble cottage.

Harry was in the middle of a shower when he felt a 'click' in his mind and began to see double images. One was of the bathroom wall and the spray of water cascading down. The other image was of an arm that was too pale to be his own. He found himself looking at the bracelet he had created for Draco. He felt a sense of wonder creeping into his soul and he wasn't able to tell if it was his or the other's. 

__

I didn't count on this, a part of his mind said. _But I'm glad he likes the bracelet_. He suddenly gasped when he had an intense feeling of 'knowledge'. In that moment Harry was tempted to find a cliff and jump off. _How did he know it was me? I'm going to kill Sev. I'm going to – _

A voice which he knew wasn't his own echoed in his mind. **_"I don't deserve this..." _**

Harry felt himself smiling. _You deserve it Drake. No one else deserves it more than you do... _And for the first time since Sirius's death, Harry's soul was filled with warmth and love. 

**********

Firesword: Next chapter is an incredibly long one so it will take sometime before I update. Hope that this chapter makes you feel good.! : ) Well, some of the major questions that you have will probably be answered in Chapter 5 and more romance enfolds...   



	5. A Trip Down Memory Lane

****

~ Chapter 5: A trip down Memory Lane ~

In the living room of Snape's cottage.

The living room was peacefully quiet though the silence was occasionally broken by the soft purrs of a very contented cat and the rustling of parchment. Harry was looking through a list that Kingsley and Snape had compiled of what the youth could do during the summer holidays besides completing his homework. Snape, the back-to-normal-looking Potions Master, was carefully sipping his hot chocolate while his free hand scratched Black's chin. The clock played a soft tune, Enya's Tea-House Moon; and the normally stern wizard smiled faintly. Harry, for some reason, loved to put Muggle touches around the house. Snape glanced at the clock; it was already two in the morning and Harry had still not shown signs of apoplexy. Finally, he heard a groan from the young wizard. His faint smile turned into a devilish smirk.

*********

Harry stared at the list in dismay. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he saw that his godfather had plans for him to learn potions and poisons the Potions Master had used during his days as a Death Eater; as Snape kindly pointed out in a postscript at the bottom of the list, Aurors needed to be able to identify the poison or drug at a crime scene instantly. A groan involuntarily escaped him and he looked up to see his godfather giving him an evil smile. 

"You are a difficult man Sev," Harry said simply as he rolled the parchment up.

"What a shame," Snape drawled and Harry pretended to throw the parchment at him. The raven-haired youth leaned back in his chair and sighed. His mind wandered as he thought about the bracelet's unexpected reaction. 

"Sev," Harry called and his godfather gave him an inquiring look. "How did Draco know that I was the maker?" 

His godfather was silent before answering in a quiet voice. "It is very... coincidental that this happened. I had a brief meeting with Dumbledore and his brother about Draco and then I came home to you attempting to strangle me." Harry sheepishly waited patiently, watching the Potions Master set the mug on the coffee table. "Dumbledore suspects that Draco can somehow see people's auras." When Harry gave him a baffled look, Snape explained with great patience, "Until today's meeting, I had not been aware that Draco actually reported to Dumbledore the allegiance of both of the Montague brothers, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, a handful of seventh-year Slytherins and one Ravenclaw."

Harry gave a brief start of surprise. _It certainly didn't occur to me that Drake might not be normal... Wizardly-speaking of course. _He wanted to think about it in greater depth but his eyes unfocused slightly and he reassured himself that he would have plenty of time to ponder things over. 

"So when is Remus visiting us?" Harry asked cheerfully and to his profound amazement, he watched his godfather stammer in a very charming manner.

"Remus? Why is – what are you – why? " Snape stopped, clearly embarrassed and Harry made a sound of impatience. Snape tried again. "Why should he visit?" The Potions Master scowled, clearly not appreciating Harry's sudden question.

"His potion," Harry answered, shaking his head and looking at his godfather in amusement. "I think it might also be a good time for the two of you to have a chat – " Snape's face took on a brilliant shade of red, "– about how you became my godfather, dammit!" Harry was torn between open mirth and frustration as Snape stared mutely at him. Harry stood up, holding the parchment in one hand as he moved toward his godfather. 

Harry had learned that the greasy-haired Potions Master was capable of affection during the last sixteen days prior to him to going down to King's Cross last September. It may have seemed impossible to believe, but Harry had grown so extremely fond of the Potions Master and he sometimes had to mentally slap himself to suppress the urge to show his concern even if the two were alone in Snape's office. Unless, of course, his godfather was being incredibly snappish, Harry could see absolutely no reason why he should subject himself to Snape's sharp comments when the wizard was feeling irritable. Now, though, Harry had no qualms in doing so. Who would bear witness to it except for the cat and the two wizards in the house? His fingers gently brushed the strands of silky black hair away from the wizard's face and Harry leaned down, planting a soft kiss on Snape's forehead. 

He drew back and studied his godfather's face, happy to see Snape relax. He searched for new creases and worry-lines, taking in the sharp cheekbones and Snape's closed eyes. It was a minute before those eyes reopened, black fixing on emerald. 

"Thank you," his godfather whispered, relishing in the simple feeling of being cared for. He smiled gratefully when Harry told him in a matter-of-fact manner that he didn't have to be so incredibly shy when it came to Lupin.

"I miss you, you old bat," Harry said quietly, looking very intently at the Potions Master. He changed the subject. "Talk to Phineas and ask Dumbledore to arrange it. I will **not** have you risking your neck trying to get the potion to Remus, especially not when I still have so much more to learn from you," he said in mock graveness and Snape snorted. Clearly, his godfather was not taking him seriously when it came to his love for study. Harry continued, "Besides, it's best if Remus hears the details from you rather than Professor Dumbledore." 

Snape nodded his agreement and moved slightly. Black took the signal and stood, stretching his back lazily before leaping off the Potions Master's lap. Harry watched as his godfather got up from the chair and proceeded into the kitchen to wash the mug. He was just about to go to his bedroom when he heard Snape call.

"Sev? What is it?" Harry asked softly.

His godfather's face was inscrutable as Harry studied him. "Is Draco really going to be safe in the Manor? Even with the bracelet?" his godfather asked in a worried voice. 

"He has to be," Harry whispered, eyes going distant. _We have to plan for emergencies soon. If anything happens, can Draco seek refuge here? _He unconsciously nibbled on his lower lip making his godfather look at him curiously. _No, bad idea. I'll probably be distracted to death wanting to run my fingers through his hair. If not that, I'll probably end up killing him trying to get that sneer off his face. _He heard the soft clink of glass against metal as Snape placed the clean mug onto the rack.

"It's late and _you're_ tired," said Harry. "Take a rest and we'll leave those books of yours for tomorrow. Sometimes I don't know which is worse... having Hermione draw up study plans for me or _you_ drawing them up."

Snape smiled crookedly as he dried his hands on a kitchen towel. "I will rest but first I will send a message to Dumbledore. However, I am not about to waste my energy trying to wake the portrait up if Phineas is snoozing." A minute later, Snape was talking to Phineas in a clear voice and the wizard-in-the-portrait disappeared to deliver the message. 

The two wizards then left the study for their respective bedrooms, deciding after a brief discussion that they could wait to hear Dumbledore's answer the next day. Harry was walking slightly ahead of his godfather and was the first to reach his bedroom since it was closest to the living room. He was a little surprised when he felt pressure on his shoulders and was turned gently to face his godfather. 

His eyes automatically shut as Snape closed the distance, and Harry laid his cheek against his godfather's hair, arms circling Snape in an embrace. He felt the comforting warmth of the wizard, the steady beating of Snape's heart, and the friction of his godfather's palm as he rubbed Harry's back. Harry felt his eyes watering as he recalled a similar embrace he'd had with his first godfather. _Sirius..._

His entire frame shook as waves of grief filled his soul and Harry fought hard to prevent his tears from falling onto his godfather's shoulder. He heard Snape murmur a series of comforting words but Harry didn't really understand them. Slowly, he was consoled by his godfather's soothing voice. He held onto Snape until the sadness passed then slowly retreated. Harry bowed his head and Snape leaned forward slightly (fortunately for the Potions Master, Harry was still two inches shorter) to bestow a kiss directly onto Harry's lightning-shaped scar. Snape's fingers came and rested on his chin for a moment before lifting it up. Harry stared directly into his godfather's eyes. For an instant, Harry saw the prominent nose shrink, the face fill out, and the black eyes turn clear blue. Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes before opening them again. Snape was staring intently at him. 

"Sleep well," his godfather murmured.

"I'll try. And thank you Sev." With a final squeeze, Harry released his godfather's waist and stepped back. He opened his bedroom door and slipped in. "'Night," he said softly with a smile before he closed the door. He placed the forgotten and nearly crushed parchment on his desk before he went to sit on the edge of his bed. He breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet, calming scent of Blood Orange. He stripped off his shirt, feeling more comfortable as bare skin met the breeze (magically induced) circulating in the room. The candles that had been lit earlier in the evening slowly winked out as he got ready for bed. 

Harry shifted and leaned against the headboard, staring blankly at the wall before him. He wasn't thinking about anything until he asked himself, _When did I finally realize that I actually began to **like** Drake? _He began looking through memories to search for the answer. _One thing I know is that I felt it sometime before the OWLs. _His mind drifted and he suddenly thought back to an image of Draco. The Slytherin was not in his school robes but simply dressed in a smart shirt and black trousers. Harry was probably standing inside a balcony, since he remembered that he had been looking down to watch Draco. He recalled watching an overcast sky with flashes of lightning dancing across it, the soothing rumbles of thunder in the background. Harry remembered the feeling of his robes flying about him as he stood in the direct path of the stormy wind. Draco stood beneath the sky, undaunted, although it may have been wiser if he had enjoyed the storm from inside the castle. His pale, angular face had been tilted upwards and the image of the Slytherin became so clear in his mind that Harry gave a harsh gasp. _Merlin... He looks... looked beautiful! I never knew that he had a soft spot for nature..._

He took several moments to calm his erratic breathing. _I know that I like him. **A lot**. But do I love him? _Harry mused. _I do know that my feelings for him are deeper than my fascination with Cho. _Harry finally lay down and stared at the ceiling. _But why **him** of all people? _He gave a long sigh. _Looks like I'm going to be stuck on Drake for a while. _He smiled and concentrated on the link that had accidentally been established between the Slytherin and himself. Harry only heard peaceful silence. _He must be asleep..._ Harry closed his eyes but sleep did not come to him. He remained awake and found himself thinking about the night that had certainly changed him. 

**********

**__**

Flashback. Harry's memory.

18th July 1996. At the Dursleys'.

Harry was lying on his stomach reading a book Hermione had recommended and was taking down notes. It really felt like research. The work was something he had never enjoyed doing, but this time, he pushed himself to concentrate. Suddenly, Voldemort decided to visit Harry with another vision.

Harry opened his eyes and looked around. He was standing in a living room of some sort. The image was slightly fuzzy and he was a little amused when he realized it was because he did not have his glasses on. His throat suddenly went dry when he crossed the room in a _glide_. Anger quickly rushed through his mind. _Bloody hell. I'm **him**. _He heard a shriek and felt his lips curl into a satisfied smile. _This is just a vision and it's not really happening. I'm not giving in to the same trap twice. _

Finally, Harry/Voldemort stood by the kitchen entrance. Harry/Voldemort took note of a man who sat slumped in a chair, blood spurting from the jugular in tremendous amounts. There were more whimpers and Harry/Voldemort searched for the source. Lucius Malfoy stood by the refrigerator, his left hand gripping a bloodied knife while his right held his cane. The Death Eater was watching two women huddling by the kitchen sink.

"Take the girl Lucius," Harry/Voldemort issued the order. The Death Eater did not answer but quickly moved to obey. 

Harry's whole body shook in shock as he stared at the face of a very frightened Hermione. Harry felt even worse when he saw her eyes were filled with fear as she stared at _him_. 

"_Imperio_," Harry/Voldemort uttered, and commanded Mrs. Granger to step forward. Hermione's mother walked in jerky motions, her eyes glazed over and stopped two feet away from Harry/Voldemort. "Take that knife on the table." Mrs. Granger obeyed. 

"No..." Hermione whimpered, struggling diffidently but gradually growing more frantic as she fought to free herself from Lucius's hold. The pale-haired wizard snarled, dropping the knife he was holding and yanked hard on Hermione's hair. A strangled scream escaped from the young woman. 

****

"Kill the girl," Harry/Voldemort commanded in a cold voice but Mrs. Granger did not move. Harry felt hope rising in him as he saw Mrs. Granger visibly fighting against Voldemort's order. Harry/Voldemort turned to Hermione and smiling, he nodded at Lucius. The Death Eater smiled back and traced his tongue along Hermione's neck. Harry's friend cried out and flinched, an expression of disgust on her face. 

Harry's anger deepened. _If the bastard's really doing this to **my** friend, Draco's father is a dead man. _Harry closed himself completely, determined not to watch the vision. 

"No...no... Potter..." Voldemort hissed and Harry's eyes flew open. "I want you to look." Harry recoiled from the sight and he started to panic. "Kill the girl, woman," Harry/Voldemort repeated and Mrs. Granger lost the internal battle and obeyed Voldemort's command. Hermione gave a frightened whimper as she watched her mother. Her eyes darted swiftly to Harry/Voldemort. Just before the knife plunged into her chest, she whispered,

"Harry..."

His screaming was abruptly cut off by Dudley hauling him out of his bed and him crashing against his desk. He collapsed to his knees and clutched at his head. His scar burned intensely and he was frightened. He blinked his eyes, feeling dizzy, and stared at the blue bucket Dudley held out to him in confusion. The instant he touched the bucket, his stomach heaved and he vomited uncontrollably. 

He felt nauseous and placed the bucket down shakily. He looked at his cousin gratefully when Dudley threw a damp towel at him. He wiped his face, soothed by the coolness but he was bothered by the way his scar hurt. _Damn. That vision can't possibly be real. Hermione knows to keep her wand with her at all times. Tonks would raise the alarm even if the Death Eaters were out for a casual stroll. Snape... I have to go back to him... But I won't beg... _He used the desk to lever himself up and took the bucket to the bathroom. He washed both bucket and towel thoroughly. The latter he hung onto a clothesline to dry while he turned the bucket upside down. _Thank goodness both Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are still out. I'm going to Dumbledore... _

Harry walked past his cousin and began gathering his belongings, throwing them unceremoniously into his trunk. He felt Dudley's puzzlement and spoke without looking at his cousin. "I'm going back to my school but don't tell your parents. If by chance Moody – that's the weird-looking guy with the weirder eye – or a guy with golden eyes comes to check up on me, send them up here. I will leave them a note but don't admit them if they don't give you the password and the token." 

"Password?" Dudley looked at Harry in apprehension. "I have to stand there and ask them?" Harry nodded solemnly.

This was what that had been arranged a few days after Harry got home from Hogwarts. Since the members of the Order wouldn't be around often, with the sole exception of Mrs. Figg, Moody had come up with the not-so-original idea. Both the password and the token were regularly changed until the next time Harry received a visit. For that week, the password was 'The werewolf has three claw marks on his left inner thigh' and the token was one of Hedwig's snowy-white feathers braided with blue crystals.

"Are you sure that whoever comes checking will just stand there and say the password without doing those hand-flicks?" Dudley asked in a dubious voice. 

"If that happens, I'm sure that you'll be grateful that the people who were supposed to keep an eye on me will avenge your deaths in a dramatic fashion," Harry said. He had torn off a piece of parchment and was scribbling quickly on it. "Read this quickly." Harry thrust the scrap at Dudley who took it and read what was written. Harry took the piece of parchment back and stared at the scrap until it vanished. It was far safer to destroy the article than to leave it lying around since Harry had described what the token was and he had also written down the password.

"They have to give you the token and don't admit them in if they start giving you lame excuses about not having the token with them, or that they had immediately come from a meeting. No token, no entry," Harry said, looking intently at his cousin. "If they're still persistent, just slam the door in their face and give that umbrella stand a good kick. That's an alarm system by the way. But if both of us are lucky, they shouldn't visit at all until Dumbledore figures out what I should do." Harry didn't really care how absurd he had sounded giving those instructions to his cousin. All he cared about now was getting ready to fly. He pinned a note on his pillow, hoping that Dudley would leave it for Moody or Lupin if they came. 

Harry quickly changed into his black trousers and searched his cupboard for a black shirt. He had none and he burst into a fit of curses. He turned to Dudley and asked if his cousin had a black shirt to spare. Dudley came back into his room five minutes later and threw a black sweater at him. 

"Thanks," Harry mumbled as he slipped the jumper over his dark blue T-shirt. He took his cloak and quickly fastened the throat-latch. "I'm going to create a huge blackout in this neighborhood so I can get out without being seen."

Dudley gave him an arch look. "But you said that you are still not allowed to use magic."

"Whatever works," Harry muttered and suddenly, a blanket of heavy darkness fell onto Little Whinging. He grabbed his Firebolt and quickly launched off from the ground, coincidentally bumping into a snowy figure. "Hedwig!" he hissed. "I'm going off to find Dumbledore. You stay at the Dursleys' until I come back for you. Go!" 

Harry kept flying while Hedwig quickly swerved and headed for the safety of the Dursleys'. He did not know how long he was up flying in the air or how he knew which direction to go. _I am such a big idiot! Will Dumbledore even be there? God help me if McGonagall catches me flying. She will have fits. _He shook his head but it was too late for him to turn back. The longer he stayed up in the air, the more the chance of Voldemort being aware of his vulnerability. He happened to look below him. A vast swirling black sea met his gaze and he stared at it in wonder. He snapped his attention back to the air. _Have to go faster... _Harry willed his broom to accelerate, hoping that it would still remain intact after the escapade. _Damn! It's already dawn..._

Finally, Harry caught sight of the Forbidden Forest and was greatly relieved. All of his limbs had gone numb because of the cold wind and his face stung. He thought he saw a black figure moving quickly away from Hagrid's hut in _his _direction. Without warning, his mind faded into blackness.

**********

Snape's unhurried walk turned into a run and he was cursing vehemently. Even in the darkness of the early morning, he was able to see that the rider on the broom had lost consciousness, hands hanging by the side loosely and head sagging forward. The broom began to sway unsteadily and Snape's heart rate increased. He quickly extracted his wand from his voluminous robes and cast a binding charm on both rider and broom. However, the Firebolt was still racing toward the castle and Voldemort would have won the war simply because The Boy Who Lived had managed to splatter himself across the walls of the castle. Snape did not yet know that the rider was The Boy Who Lived. 

_"Impedimenta!"_ Snape's voice echoed eerily but the effect was not enough. He placed every bit of magic he had into the next Impediment Jinx. As if reacting to the spells Snape had cast, the Firebolt stopped completely. It hovered in the air for a few minutes before gently floating downwards. Snape watched the broom and rider silently before his legs carried him forward. He released the binding charm and the rider fell to his side, legs tucked under him awkwardly. 

Snape blinked, trying to figure out why the rider looked familiar. In the next second, he exploded with more curses, walking around Harry in circles. _What on earth was he thinking?! Was he even thinking?! He rode off on a broom on his own?! Damn you boy! I might as well kill you here right now for your stupidity! _His face was livid and he was hissing. It took him several minutes to calm himself before he began to rationalize Harry's actions. _Observe Severus. The boy is wearing black, totally black. He does not have anything else with him except for his broom and probably his wand. And I know that he **is** Harry Potter and not someone who has used Polyjuice Potion._ He stopped stalking around the unconscious form and looked around suspiciously. Snape quickly knelt and shook Harry briefly.

There was no response from Harry. He muttered something vulgar under his breath and slipped one hand beneath Harry's head while the hand that still held his wand went to the back of Harry's knees. Snape scooped the youth up. He had expected to stagger under Harry's dead weight but was surprised when all he felt was a comfortable, manageable weight. _Is he always this light? _Snape thought. He looked over his shoulder and twisted his wand a little while muttering, _"Mobiligenisus."_ Harry's Firebolt merely hovered and Snape rolled his eyes in exasperation. _"Mobili- **Firebolt**." _The broomstick slowly inched its way toward the Potions Master and Snape quickly walked toward the entrance of the castle. He made his way to a corridor that was rarely used since it was always hidden until it was needed. It held a portrait that would lead the Potions Master directly to the Headmaster's office. 

Salazar Slytherin watched him with narrowed eyes, first scanning the Potions Master's face before scanning Harry's. "The password." Salazar whispered and the three other figures of the Founders turned their heads to look. 

"_Pax Deorum_," Snape answered and the two-meter tall portrait slowly swung open and held long enough for the Firebolt to follow. Snape slowly ascended the spiral staircase. The flight of stairs seemed endless and Snape was already perspiring and panting. As light as Harry felt in his arms, his muscles were already straining with the unaccustomed stress. Finally, he reached a broad step and rapped twice on the wall, pausing for several seconds before rapping it again once. 

"Severus? What brings you this – " The voice was cut off as Dumbledore's eyes took in the unconscious form. The ancient wizard moved aside to let the Potions Master through. When he saw the Firebolt coming through and propping itself vertically against Fawkes's perch, he gave an exclamation. "Blessed Merlin! Please do not tell me that he actually flew here! Alone!" 

"I am afraid that is exactly what the Gryffindor has done, Headmaster. If you do not mind conjuring something up, my arms are just about to fall off," Snape panted. Dumbledore quickly conjured a couch and a chair. Snape gently lowered Harry down on the purple couch before collapsing in the armchair. "Hagrid was not in his hut when I went to find him. Has he returned?" Snape questioned the Headmaster after his breathing returned to normal. 

'Ah, that may be because I had sent him on another errand earlier. Yes, he has returned intact and uninjured," Dumbledore added and Snape nodded in a preoccupied manner. Then Snape's eyes refocused and he cleared his throat once. Dumbledore nodded his head encouragingly. 

"About Mr. Potter. Why do you think he has come here, risking his life and probably causing Remus and Moody quite a bit of anxiety if they've gone to check up on him only to find that he has disappeared?" Snape asked, pushing his hair back with his wand. 

"I have several theories but it is wiser if Harry is to tell us why," Dumbledore said as he crossed over to Harry. The old wizard took his wand out and whispered, "_Ennervate._" Snape looked at Dumbledore doubtfully when Harry gave a small shriek. Dumbledore repeated the incantation and this time, Harry jolted up into a sitting position, hands pressed tightly on his forehead, screaming in anguish. Dumbledore exchanged a worried look with the Potions Master.

**********

Harry was swimming in a sea of darkness when a stab of light pierced through his mind, bringing him back to consciousness. He gave a strangled yelp. _Maybe the magic that I used to cause the blackout took more out of me than I expected, _he thought absently. A stronger bolt of light pierced through and Harry screamed his heart out as his head pounded in unbearable pain. His scar chose to burn at the same moment and his mind was filled with images of Hermione being tortured. He did not realize that he was sitting or talking. 

"Snape..." Harry whispered, face still buried in his palms and Snape looked inquiringly at Dumbledore. 

"Harry," Dumbledore called gently but Harry did not really register the wizard's presence. 

"Snape... got to learn..." Harry panted, still disorientated. Snape got up from his chair and his strong hands gently pried the youth's hands off his face. The touch of another brought Harry back to the present and suddenly, he was looking into the bottomless black eyes of the Potions Master; a man whom Harry thought he should hate but upon his return to the Dursleys, he couldn't find the energy to hate anyone. Only then was Harry aware of the couch he was on and the presence of the ancient wizard. 

"Professor," Harry said, green eyes regaining their flicker when his wits flooded back to him. "I need you to teach me Occlumency. I have to learn," he said in a tight voice, ignoring the fact that the greasy-haired Potions Master was still holding on to his palms. Harry started to shake when Hermione's whimpers grew louder in his mind and Voldemort's insane laughter grew louder still. 

"He needs to be calmed," Snape said in a quiet voice, looking gravely at Dumbledore. The Headmaster nodded absently, blue eyes going distant as he searched for the right incantation to give Harry the desired effect. 

"Did anything happen to Hermione? Or anyone?" Harry asked Snape in a trembling voice. Both wizards shook their heads. Harry heard Dumbledore mutter something in Gaelic. When the spell took effect, Harry relaxed and Snape felt the tension in his palms slowly ebb away. When Dumbledore spoke words of encouragement, Harry began to talk, at first haltingly, and then the words came smoothly to him as time passed. Snape forgot to release Harry's hands, listening to the verbal account carefully. He winced and accidentally squeezed Harry's palm when the youth reported what he had seen Lucius doing to Hermione in a detached voice. Harry finally stopped speaking, weariness clear on his young face. 

_"Finite."_ Dumbledore ended the spell and closed his eyes in thought. The Headmaster had conjured another chair for himself and sat while he listened to Harry's account.

Harry was suffering through a bad headache and made a move to lean against the couch but Snape's hold on him prevented it. He looked at the Potions Master in confusion and Snape hastily let go of Harry's palms. 

"What is your decision Severus? Will you take Harry as your student once more?" Dumbledore asked mildly. 

"Does it look like I have a choice Headmaster?" Snape countered harshly. "I will teach him before the Dark Lord manages to find a way to control him from the inside and damages him in the process. I have seen too many people broken like that and I do not care to think of one of my students, who has barely passed childhood experiencing it." Then the Potions Master mumbled, "Provided I do not harm him by accident."

Dumbledore nodded in satisfaction before ordering the Potions Master to take Harry down to Snape's personal chambers and let the youth rest to avoid interrogations from a certain feline character. "Meanwhile, I will see to Harry's belongings and his owl and inform Moody of the change of arrangement." Snape was about to go when Dumbledore spoke again, "So you _are _taking a vacation?" Snape nodded, barely suppressing a sigh of resignation. "Excellent Severus! Now do go and escort Harry."

The Potions Master stood and moved off to the bookshelf that hid the secret stairway. He stopped when he realized that Harry was staring at him in a dazed manner. "I am sure that you have regained the control of your limbs by now Potter, unless you want me to carry you?" Snape asked in a silky voice. 

Harry blushed painfully and stood up shakily. Dumbledore handed him his Firebolt while advising him to get some rest. Dumbledore also told him that they would have another discussion regarding the arrangements of Snape's temporary guardianship over Harry. 

"Potter!" Snape called out impatiently. The Potions Master's voice echoed eerily in the stairwell and Harry had recovered enough that he shot a furious look at the out-of-sight Potions Master. He descended the stairs carefully and silently while mulling over the sensations he felt in Dumbledore's office. He was able to recognize understanding coming from Dumbledore but the emotions he felt coming from Snape were much more complicated. He felt fear, guilt, self-loathing and resignation. _Resigned because of tutoring me? _

He found that Snape was gazing at him as he emerged from the portrait hole. Something about the gold-framed portrait caught his attention and he stared unblinkingly at the portrait of the Four Founders. The Founders were all dressed splendidly and there was no sign of enmity between Slytherin and Gryffindor. He wrenched his gaze away and quickly set off into the corridor when he felt Snape's irritation. Harry followed the Potions Master's lead and looked around suspiciously when Snape brought him to a corridor that he _knew_ was there, but somehow had always forgotten to check out. Snape stopped by a door and tapped the surface four times with his wand. The door sprang open and Snape nodded to indicate that Harry should enter. 

Harry was expecting a drafty, dungeon-like room but was happy to see that the room had a huge window facing the bed. Snape did not have much furniture in his room, but not so little that the room felt barren. He noticed that there was a spoon and a glass of milk on Snape's table. 

"You will sleep there." Snape pointed a long finger to the bed. "And..." The Potions Master went to a small cupboard, opened it and retrieved a black bottle. Snape gave the bottle a good shake before uncapping the lid and pouring two spoonfuls of it into the glass of milk. He stirred it before he moved back to return the bottle. "Drink that," Snape ordered firmly. "It will prevent you from experiencing nightmares. And you will _not_ venture out Potter. I do not care to have the Deputy Headmistress asking me a lot of questions." Snape then left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Harry stared at the closed door and sighed. He removed his cloak and Dudley's black sweater. Minutes later, he walked barefoot to the table where the glass of milk was waiting. He stirred absently, wondering if Snape's potion would help him sleep without his recurring dreams. He drank all of it, set the glass back on the table and slowly went to the bed. Too tired to even think, he fell asleep.

**********

Snape returned to his quarters two hours later. He paused at the door, listening for any noise but all he heard was silence. He opened the door and took a cautious peek in. Harry was asleep on his side, bare-chested and covered only by the light blanket. Snape winced when he noticed just how gaunt Harry was. _Merlin! Do his caretakers actually feed him anything? _He shook his head in disbelief as he turned to his wardrobe and grabbed a towel. He studied the sleeping raven-haired youth for a moment before he stepped into the bathroom to shower. 

Snape was halfway through rinsing his hair under the cascading water when a wail rang throughout his quarters. _What in the name... _He hurriedly rinsed off the last traces of soap from his hair and briefly toweled himself. The blackness on his left forearm caught his eye. _The boy already knows about it, _he thought to himself as he wrapped the towel around his waist. Stepping out of the bathroom, he saw that Harry was sitting upright on _his _bed. _He is still conscious? _His jaw dropped, not believing that his strongest sleeping draft had just been proven useless. 

_"Sirius..." _Snape heard Harry whispering Black's name as the boy huddled, trying to close himself from the surroundings. A choked sob escaped from the emerald-eyed youth. Snape was uncertain of what he should do, but standing around doing nothing did not suit him. He sat slightly behind Harry and pulled the youth to his chest. Snape would have been mortified if Harry had pushed him away but there was no resistance coming from the Gryffindor. 

"I knew the potion would be useless." He heard Harry mumble. "Tried taking antidepressants. Don't know if it's because that I have magic that they weren't effective. I was hoping that you could at least give me something... so that I could sleep without seeing _his _face... Cedric's..." Harry was crying uncontrollably now. 

Snape truly felt awkward trying to console Harry, so he just held on to the Gryffindor in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. Harry was speaking again through sobs. "It's my fault that he died..." Snape's heart skipped a beat when Harry suddenly turned and buried his face in _his _chest. The Potions Master shivered when he felt Harry's bitter tears against his skin. His hand came up to gently stroke Harry's jet-black hair and Snape felt a little surprised at himself. Minutes passed and slowly, the stroking became easier; as a result, Harry had snuggled closer. _Deprived of human contact... Why does it feel like he has actually spent his life in Azkaban? _Snape gazed down at Harry's head. The sobbing had lessened but since Harry did not draw himself away, the Potions Master kept on holding him. 

**********

****

Present.

The Malfoys'.

Draco was wide awake in his enormous four-poster bed. He thought it was just a dream but the image didn't fade even when he opened his eyes. He decided that the bracelet must be causing it. He had tried to remove it earlier but it just would not come off. _Lucky that whatever Father did to Granger was just a vision. If he has done something like that to **any **of the students, I think I'll be more than happy to cast a Killing Curse on him myself. _Draco began to ponder on Harry's memory. _Is it really authentic? Am I really looking into his memory? _He absently scratched an itchy spot on his leg. _Occlumency. I know that I have heard that somewhere but I can't remember what it does, or what it is for. Maybe I should go up to the library and do a bit of research. _Draco watched Snape holding Harry in his arms and he was suddenly filled with a surge of jealousy. The scene faded and he found himself staring at a ceiling again. He thought that Harry must have fallen asleep when another image started to impose itself in his mind.

**********

**__**

Flashback. Harry's memory.

25th July 1996. Snape's cottage.

It was just after dinner and Harry was washing the dishes the Muggle way. He had noticed after living with Snape for four days that Snape used very little magic except when he was brewing a potion. Harry was a little bewildered by the very simple arrangement because he had no idea where it had come from. Snape would cook for them and Harry would clean up after. They had rarely talked, save the Potions Master's usual biting comments when they started their Occlumency lessons, and Harry was cautious not to speak of the morning when Snape held him in comfort. He absently rinsed the plate and began to feel guilty for not practicing on his own. After several hours of near-brawling, Snape decided that Harry needed to learn very basic meditation.

"You really are in need of discipline Potter," Snape had said after he had managed to get a glimpse of how Voldemort had Cedric killed. "You will have to learn how to empty your mind of thoughts and emotions." 

Harry had made an effort to practice that while washing the dishes. His hands moved of their own accord as he soaped, rinsed and dried the plates. A gentle nip on his ear broke his concentration; a silver hummingbird buzzed before his face. Snape had summoned him. He quickly finished his task and headed straight for the study. Although the door was open Harry still knocked and Snape commanded him to enter. Harry stared quizzically at the Potions Master when he felt apprehension. Snape turned away from the window and stared unwaveringly at him. 

Harry broke the eye contact and his eyes fell onto the Pensieve on the table. _I don't like the look of this,_ he thought to himself. He looked at Snape in inquiry. 

"I want you to look into it," Snape grated and Harry stared at him. 

"Why?" Harry asked in a suspicious tone.

Snape took a deep breath before speaking. "It's about the life-debt I owe to your father."

Still looking suspiciously at Snape, Harry moved forward until he was within touching distance of the Pensieve. _He must be out of his mind... How does he know if the memory I look into is the right one?_ Nevertheless, Harry took his wand and tapped gently against the silvery surface. The liquid began to swirl, picking up speed until the liquid slowly turned transparent. It seemed to Harry that he should recognize the place. He looked at Snape again, and unbelievably, the Potions Master nodded. Harry plunged his face in slowly, hoping that the memory was the right one. Soon, he felt the familiar cold darkness and the dizzying spin. Finally, Harry was on his feet but he did not open his eyes until he was sure he had regained his equilibrium. 

He realized why the place looked familiar. It was the Headquarters and he was in a drawing room. Then slowly, he noticed bottles and bottles of what smelled like Firewhiskey. He felt confused. _Was Snape overind... _His thought trailed off when two drunken wizards materialized. It was Snape and Lupin and instantly Harry knew that this was the wrong memory. Both wizards were sitting on the floor and Harry could not bring himself to reconcile the image of the forever-immaculately dressed Potions Master with the wreck before his eyes. He heard Lupin curse himself, Sirius and everyone else. Then Snape took his turn, calling Harry several names and quite thoroughly insulting Sirius before cursing himself for being incompetent. 

Harry observed their antics and couldn't help thinking that they should have been wiser than to get themselves drunk. Lupin started to sob and Snape immediately sobered. _Seems like he wasn't even drunk,_ he mused. And he stared when Snape's face began to soften. Before Harry could dwell on the significant change, he felt a hard smack on his arm. He was staring at Snape's face, red with what could be either embarrassment or anger, with open amusement. Snape did not say anything but he took Harry's hand and gave the Pensieve a prod with his wand. _He should have done it this way in the first place. _Seconds later, Harry was standing in the Great Hall with Snape. 

Snape finally released his hand and spoke softly. "The Headmaster likes to conduct annual gatherings of Hogwarts's graduates. This was about three years after I had graduated."

Harry looked around and spotted Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick seated in various parts of the table. He saw his mother – she looked stunningly beautiful in her unadorned dark green dress – and his father sitting next to each other. _They must have started going out after the OWLs. _Harry's throat tightened when he heard Sirius's generous laughter. His green eyes searched until he found Lupin; Sirius was talking animatedly to his friend and Harry had to remind himself that this was just a memory. His eyes searched for a younger Snape and there he was, looking extremely bored. All around the younger Potions Master were witches who were batting their eyelashes at him. Young Snape ignored them. 

"I'm surprised you didn't hex them," Harry said, not really aware that he had commented aloud. Eventually, young Snape moved off from the Hall. 

"Follow," Snape instructed softly and Harry obeyed. The younger Potions Master was going out into the courtyard. Harry watched both Snapes curiously. 

"What were you doing after you graduated?" Harry was compelled to ask, not really expecting Snape to answer him. 

"I was apprenticed to one of my father's associates. Among other things," Snape answered quietly. Harry turned and studied Snape's profile and suddenly Snape shifted his gaze. Harry met his eyes and saw the shadows of pain that lingered and Snape nodded at Harry's unspoken question. Harry became silent and looked at the younger Snape instead. 

"Thank you for coming Severus," a voice spoke up and Harry turned to find his father silently crossing the grounds. 

"What do you want Potter?" Snape asked coolly, and before he could react, James had his wand out and cast a spell on young Snape. By Snape's expression of horror, Harry decided that his father must have jinxed him. 

"Potter! You must be raving mad!" young Snape hissed but James just looked on resolutely. 

"It is the best solution... or choice that I could think of," James answered in a firm voice. 

"_Me_? A godfather? You must be insane if you would risk the life of your flesh and blood by putting a child into_ my_ care! Why me, who wants nothing more than to kill you?" Young Snape was almost screaming. 

"Calm down Severus."

Harry looked at the scene in confusion. _What in the world are they talking about? _Young Snape continued to protest.

"I want you to remove the spell at once!" Snape ordered, sounding quite hysterical. "I will do anything else _but_ bind myself further to your family!"

"I said calm down." James looked at young Snape in annoyance. "Sirius will be the godfather of my children but should anything happen to him..." 

"Make use of Lupin then!" 

"I don't very much care for your words Severus," James said in a deathly quiet voice. "You have to take up that burden if anything happens to Sirius. That is the only way you'll be freed from me." James turned and headed back to the Hall, leaving young Snape cursing and gesticulating in the empty courtyard. 

Harry stared at young Snape until his eyes hurt. The younger Potions Master's face was strained and flushed in anger. What surprised him most that he could actually _feel_ the terror coming from the memory. Harry still had no idea what had just passed between his father and the Potions Master. "I still don't understand..." he heard himself say just as the memory faded and he was back in Snape's study. Harry stared up at the Potions Master standing beside him. "I don't understand. What did my father do to you?"

"I have to take care of you Potter," came the strangled reply and Harry was even more baffled. "I have to be..." Snape looked like he would rather die than continue speaking. "I'm your godfather now..." 

**********

****

Present.

Draco's bedroom.

It was the first time Draco had had the chance to see James Potter and he marveled at the similarities between father and son. _All except the green eyes. So that's how Snape became his godfather. Life-debt. Fitting price. _Draco mused and toyed with his hair. _That memory of Snape and Lupin was cute though, too bad Snape chose to bring Harry out. Something interesting could have happened there. _Something occurred to him as he thought about Harry's living arrangement. _Someone will tell the Dark Lord about Snape's exposure very soon. I'm glad I don't have the faintest idea where Snape lives. What I don't know, I can't tell. _

He reached for a small black box on his bedside table. "Time?" he asked.

"Twenty minutes before four, sir!" the magical watch reported. Draco placed the odd box back in its place. He froze when he heard a very familiar voice, too clearly for his taste.

**_"That's certainly a surprise. He saw what I was thinking. And why in hell is he awake?"_**

****Unconsciously, as if Harry was actually right beside him, Draco let out a retort in his mind. **_"As if why _I'm _awake is any business of yours!"_**

**********

****

Harry's bedroom.

Harry's eyes flared open in surprise when he heard Draco's sharp retort. _Oh damn! He could hear me?_ He babbled feverishly in his mind until Draco yelled. 

**_"GODDAMNYOU Green-Eyes! You're ripping my mind to pieces! Stop THINKING!"_**

Harry's thoughts immediately vanished as he calmed himself but his heart pounded in his chest. Everything went silent and the only sounds in the room were his breathing and the clock on the wall as seconds ticked off. 

**_"It's your own fault you know."_** Draco's thought reached him.

**_"Maybe I should have expected some kind of reaction from the bracelet," _**Harry agreed sheepishly. There was a long pause and he wondered if the Slytherin had fallen asleep. 

**_"I thought I was imagining things when I thought I heard someone talking in my head. I'm really hearing _you_,"_ **Draco stated. 

**_"I'm sorry about this. I only meant for the bracelet to give you protection, not as a way of opening communication lines,"_** Harry replied truthfully. _Well, it's true. If I'm able to communicate with him like this, then I can't use the excuse of touching him to talk anymore. What a shame... _He gave a long sigh, then was startled by Draco's question.

**_"What was that?" _**Draco asked innocently, but his question was filled with amusement. Harry blushed, hoping that Draco did not hear his previous thoughts.

**_"Dear gods. I do not appreciate the fact that a Slytherin is tuning into my mind!" _**Harry groaned.

**_"Like you said Green-Eyes, some things can happen both ways." _**Draco immediately stopped and Harry heard him swear creatively.

**_"Green-Eyes?" _**Harry asked mildly. 

**_"Shut up!" _**The Slytherin was clearly embarrassed. **_"Fix this. I don't want _you_ hearing my thoughts, even by accident." _**

Harry felt oddly disappointed by Draco's demand. He asked in a reluctant tone, **_"Are you sure? That means you could no longer hear mine either."_**

"Fine."

"Spoilsport. Where has the Slytherin deviousness gone?" Harry asked in mock disappointment.

**_"Is that a challenge? Fine, we'll keep this open. I want to see just how long you can tolerate the fact that a Slytherin is looking through your mind, listening to every word and thought you say." _**Draco replied and his willingness caused Harry to think about the consequences. Draco had seen his memories and he was not supposed to. What if he began to dream? What then?

**_"We'll drop that. I will try to block us both," _**Harry thought quickly.

**_"Afraid Potter?" _**Harry could almost see the smirk on the Slytherin's face. 

**_"Yes."_**

"Why?" Draco asked curiously.

**_"I have nightmares Drake. They're not pretty. Anything regarding Voldemort isn't pretty. You don't want to see _him_ even in your sleep." _**

"All right." Draco finally answered.

**********

****

In the world of Dreams.

It was a barren place. Red ground, made even redder by the blood of fallen witches and wizards. Harry watched in horror as he saw Charlie's dragon sliced open by the claws of a creature related to the one that had nearly caused him his life in late October last year. It was a creature that looked like it was a crossbreed between a Lethifold and a Red-Cap. He saw Charlie plucked out of his seat by five of those creatures and his stomach revolted as blood rained down. Ginny shrieked and he turned to see Ron and Hermione pulling the girl up from Dean's motionless form. Swarms of Death Eaters flooded the area and Harry stared, watching his friends kill and being killed. It was always the same. He wasn't fighting, just observing. Voldemort laughed. Clearly, the Dark Lord was aware of his helplessness in the dream. The laughter grew louder and it made goosebumps appear on his skin. 

"Potter." A voice called him. Harry thought he should know the owner but no face came to his mind. "Harry." Again, the voice called him and Harry grew frantic. He was moving now, stepping over dead bodies, trying to look for the owner of the voice. He started to run, searching, but not knowing what he was looking for. 

"Why are you running Potter?" Voldemort's cold voice washed over him. "Look." Voldemort instructed and Harry stopped to look. The Dark Lord held Hermione. She was trying to pry away Voldemort's hands which were clutched around her neck. 

"Harry." The voice Harry heard became clearer and more insistent. More Death Eaters surrounded Voldemort and the Dark Lord's hand was running freely over Hermione. "Harry." Strong arms closed about him and he wrenched his gaze away from Voldemort. Everything else dissolved and Harry closed his eyes and shuddered. His knees gave way and he collapsed against the person who held him. 

"I knew that you would fail to block us both. So, that's what the Dark Lord looks like," Draco said in a clinical voice and Harry jerked his head around to stare at the Slytherin. Harry was amazed when he realized that Draco was very calm about the entire dream. Something broke inside him, and without realizing it, Harry started crying in silence. The blackness changed and soon they were surrounded by light, standing in a vast field. The Slytherin tugged him down and sat underneath a Holly tree. 

"Malfoy..." Harry managed to choke out.

"Draco," the Slytherin corrected. "Or maybe Drake. Why didn't you ask Snape for a... Well, maybe it didn't work for you?" Draco asked and Harry nodded wearily. Harry suddenly realized that he was sitting on the Slytherin's lap and that Draco had wrapped his arms around him. It felt so comfortable that he knew he must be dreaming. 

"So what if you are?" Draco asked in amusement and Harry looked again at the Slytherin's face. "No more nightmares?"

"Isn't this one?" Harry asked quietly and Draco chuckled. Harry looked around through blurry eyes. The tree that Draco was leaning against was the only one in the field. He was still staring around at the vast field when he heard Draco's contented sigh. Harry flinched when he felt Draco's lips grazing his neck. _Yes... this is a nightmare. A very weird nightmare. _

"Seems like I have to make you revise your opinion on this particular one," Draco whispered. Long fingers danced across Harry's jaw and traced his cheeks before gently wiping away the trace of tears. Harry didn't dare breathe as Draco continued with his ministrations and he forgot to breathe when Draco's silver eyes stared at him in a penetrating gaze. "I always thought you looked silly in glasses but your new ones make you look _good_," Draco said in a husky voice. The Slytherin slowly leaned forward and Harry's eyes automatically closed. When he felt Draco's lips touch his in a very chaste kiss, he groaned. He shivered and felt Draco pull back to admire the effect the kiss had on him. 

"I feel like I've just found what I've been searching for even though I didn't know that I've been looking for it," Harry whispered, green eyes widening as he saw the smile on Draco's face. 

"Funny. I was feeling exactly the same," Draco whispered and his hands tightened on Harry's waist. "This is quite a wonderful solution to your nightmares, unless you find it detestable that I'm being very nice to you." 

"Drake," Harry began in a very calm voice, "I'm going to kiss you." Draco tilted his head in a challenging gesture and silver-eyes flashed in surprise when Harry tackled him so that the Slytherin was now lying flat on his back. _Merlin... He feels so... real. _Harry gulped as he moved and slowly settled atop of the Slytherin. He saw the blush spreading across Draco's cheeks as Harry felt something very thrilling pressing against his body. _We have time to experiment later. I want to kiss him and find out what he tastes like, _Harry thought mischievously. Green eyes met silver and approval shone from Draco's eyes. Harry licked his lips and grinned when Draco made a sound of impatience. Harry chuckled and found Draco's lips. Instinct ruled both of them as they explored each other's mouths. Silently, they exchanged an oath as they melted into one, forever bound as lovers.

**********

**__**

Firesword: So, how was this chapter?


	6. These thoughts of mine

****

~ Chapter 6: These thoughts of mine ~

Saturday, 5th July 1997. Early Morning.

The cottage was peacefully silent as the Potions Master moved about the house doing menial chores and preparing breakfast. Two snowy owls swooped about, delighting at the sense of freedom before swerving off to the forest to perch and rest. Sunlight filtered through the cottage windows; the rays shifted upon Harry's light gray blanket but still, the raven-haired youth slept. Some benevolent force had actually allowed him to rest without his usual affliction of bad dreams. Harry wasn't dreaming at all in fact; his mind was enveloped in a restful darkness until...

**_"Wake up you lazy boy!"_** cried a voice and Harry immediately sat up on his bed, a blush quickly creeping over his cheeks. He was still in a befuddled state, wondering why his godfather was not standing by the door, arms crossed and tapping his foot impatiently. He also wondered why the door was still closed. A 'feeling' of mirth that was not his own roused him to full consciousness, enough so to form several oaths in his mind. 

**_"Ease up lover," _**Draco said merrily, making Harry shiver and not only out of annoyance. 

**_"You sound positively cheerful," _**Harry observed as he stretched, reached toward the table for his glasses and put them on. He scanned the floor lazily for the shirt he had discarded sometime during the night; it had grown a bit too warm to sleep fully clothed several hours ago. He took a moment to glance at the clock. It was twenty minutes past eight. He stood and picked up his shirt before throwing it into the laundry basket by the door. 

**_"You can't expect me to be maudlin and mopey every day,"_** Draco pointed out reasonably. **_"The reason why I am so happy is because the she-dragon is going out to 'replenish some supplies'." _**Harry raised an eyebrow at that. After the countless number of 'chats' they'd had since their holidays began, he had learned a few things about what makes a Malfoy. Draco had also told him a little about his parents. Harry still harbored some doubt when Draco tried to reassure him that his bratty behavior was just a pretense. As a result, Harry had asked what the real Draco Malfoy was like and the Slytherin admitted that he himself was unable to find the answer. Not yet anyway. Redirecting his thoughts to the current subject, Harry understood why Draco sounded so skeptical about his mother going off without meeting certain people. 

Harry did not exchange his thoughts with Draco for a while and the Slytherin seemed to understand his needing several moments to think privately. After a couple of experiments over the course of the past few nights, it was possible for both of them to have some peaceful, private moments. _Maybe Narcissa's off to find some confirmation about Snape's loyalties... _He was still thinking about that as he went to the bathroom to wash up and make himself presentable before turning up for breakfast. He was changing into a newer set of clothing when Draco's thought filled his mind. 

**_"Have you told Snape of this new development of ours?"_** Draco asked curiously and Harry gave a soundless chuckle as he replied. 

**_"Can you be more specific Drake? Are you referring to the strange new way of communication or to the relationship blossoming between the two of us?" _**

"My, my..." the mirror murmured as it saw Harry's green eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're certainly not in a brooding mood today." Harry grinned widely at the mirror.

**_"The first one of course! But I don't really mind if it somehow slips that you are _my _dream lover now," _**Draco responded seriously.

Harry quirked up an eyebrow. **_"Yours?"_**

"Yes. Mine_. Dare you refuse me that Green-Eyes?" _If Harry thought the Slytherin was joking, it was quickly dashed by the fierce possessiveness that Draco let him feel. It made him feel pleasantly warm and he suppressed the urge to howl his triumph. 

**_"I seriously can't believe that you've managed to shake my control over my emotions," _**he gave a rather sullen thought. **_"I'm supposed to be dark, expressionless, mysterious and unresponsive..."_**

"That's a mound of horse-crap if you ask me," Draco replied in good cheer and Harry was tempted to pinch himself to see if he was dreaming. **_"Good Lord!" _**the Slytherin exclaimed and Harry felt a moment of disorientation as his lover took the opportunity to study the kitchen through his eyes. Harry thought that Draco's exclamation was directed at the healthy spread of food on the table until he sent him another thought.**_ "He's wearing full robes?!" _**Draco was incredulous as they both watched Snape calmly reading the Daily Prophet that had probably been sent by Dumbledore. The Potions Master was wearing his customary black robes and Harry couldn't stop himself from teasing his godfather.

"Sev, are you expecting company?" Harry asked teasingly. The Potions Master's dark eyes lifted to meet Harry's in an unwavering gaze. Harry snorted and Snape began to scowl. Harry's snort quickly became a soundless laugh and he wrapped his arms around his abdomen as he grew incapacitated with mirth. Snape looked on in disgust and when Harry showed no sign of stopping, the Potions Master stared helplessly at him. 

"Merlin!" Harry gasped as he struggled to control his laughter. "Sev! Remus won't arrive until this evening!" He started laughing again.

"Do you think I should be wearing something less formal?" Snape asked dangerously. 

"Merlin help me! Why are you even _thinking_ of wearing _black_ in summer? This place of yours may have cooling charms, but you know that even those get fried during extreme heat waves!" Harry strode forward and pulled the newspaper out of his godfather's fingers. He casually threw it onto the table and heartily pulled Snape out of his seat, clearly intending to choose a more comfortable outfit. Snape was quite bewildered by the youth's enthusiasm considering that the boy had woken up from bed just minutes ago. 

"You've finished with the potion right?" Harry asked but otherwise ignored his godfather as he opened Snape's wardrobe and searched for something suitable. 

"Yes," Snape answered in a rather monotonous voice as he watched the raven-haired youth deftly pulling out three choices of shirts. 

"Well, I think this dark blue one is good," Harry said as he felt the material. "White's cool but it looks funny on you." Harry pursed his lips thoughtfully as he examined a knee-length dark green shirt.

**********

Snape lifted an eyebrow at his godson's comment about white being the wrong color for him. Quite habitually, he observed the green-eyed Gryffindor. The sudden flash in Harry's eyes caught his attention and Snape was surprised to see that Harry was trying to hold back laughter.

_His behavior lately has been totally unnatural, _Snape thought distractedly. _He _is_ different but that does not give him the excuse to laugh at every opportunity... without any explanation whatsoever. _

"The emerald shirt's a bit too heavy. Wear the blue and you shouldn't feel _that_ out of place," Harry decided in a preoccupied manner. 

Snape continued to observe and his suspicions grew when he saw the familiar glint in the boy's eyes for the countless time that week. _I have the feeling that there is something going on directly under my nose, _Snape mused absently and was startled out of his thoughts by Harry's audible chuckle. His godson was staring at him, eyes gleaming merrily but there was a slight sheepishness in the young wizard's grin. 

"Harry..." Snape started in a menacing tone. 

"Caught me didn't you?" Harry asked mildly. "Well, that's to be expected I guess. You do have those additional skills as a spy."

"Indeed I have," Snape agreed. "Out with it boy," he commanded tersely.

"Well..." Harry started nervously. "It's the bracelet..." Snape continued to approach his godson. "We've been talking to each other," Harry said finally in a resigned manner. 

Snape arched an eyebrow at his godson's statement. _Talking? I see. It looks like I've been the object of gossip for two of my most infuriating students. _He tucked a lock of his silky hair absently behind his ear.

"I wouldn't call it gossip!" Harry's eyes were wide, clearly offended when he saw the expression on Snape's face. Again, the Potions Master was impressed by the youth's ability to discern his thoughts. _Like a certain werewolf. _

Snape snorted derisively. "I should have suspected that something was out of line since I have slept rather peacefully these past few nights. You've been sharing company," he said lightly. "Is he all right?"

"Yes, Draco's fine – " He cut off Harry's sentence abruptly.

"Have you two bonded?" he asked and smirked when Harry turned red in the face.

"Uh... not quite..." Snape heard his godson mumble.

"Good." He nodded his approval and sighed when Harry turned defensive. "You should wait until the two of you are together _physically_. It makes the bond stronger," he explained in a rather bored tone. 

Harry blushed again and quickly walked out of his godfather's bedroom, carefully avoiding the Potions Master's knowing eyes. Snape chuckled nastily at Harry's show of discomfort, but it eventually died away and he concentrated on removing his current vestments with the sole exception of his trousers. Since his godson had kindly pointed out that his regular consumer would not be arriving until the late afternoon, he chose to wear a light gray cotton shirt in the meantime. 

He walked unhurriedly back to the kitchen and was secretly pleased to note that Harry had almost finished half of the pancakes he had painstakingly prepared. "Tell me Harry," Snape said in a light voice as he sat down and helped himself to a bit of breakfast, "does Draco know how greedy you are?" As a result, Harry muttered something vulgar and Snape quickly grabbed the _Daily Prophet_ and solidly smacked the back of his godson's head with it.

"Owww!" Harry gave a sharp yelp, hand instantly dropping the fork with a piece of honey-coated pancake onto the floor and moving upwards to rub at the tender spot.

"You!" Snape burst out in irritation and sighed. He took his wand out and taking a deep breath, he summoned Harry's fork in a soft tone and set it back on the table. _"Scourgify."_ He waved his wand at the small mess and it cleared off in an instant. 

"Sorry," Harry mumbled and Snape rolled his eyes upwards. "Draco was just telling me almost the exact same thing," the raven-haired youth answered and continued eating his breakfast. 

Snape felt his eyes widening at the unspoken implication that Draco could somehow see through Harry's eyes. Snape felt his lips curling into a faint smile. "So," he purred, "Draco was the one who pointed out that I don't look good in white or pale colors?"

His godson looked at him with a frown before asking in a curious voice, "How did you know that?" 

"Because unlike Draco, you don't have any fashion sense. Sometimes, I think that you are almost color-blind," he answered with a nasty smirk. His godson made a small offended sound and resumed eating his breakfast. Snape studied Harry's face absently then hid a smile when Harry's face went blank and the emerald eyes started to lose their focus. Slowly, Harry's face turned gentle and a small smile hovered on his lips. _Cloying... _Snape shuddered. Just as suddenly, his godson was back to his normal self. 

"What is Draco doing now?" Snape asked as he refilled his mug with hot chocolate.

"Said he was sneaking off to the library to do a bit of homework," Harry replied. His godson then looked grimly at him. "Narcissa is probably going off to confirm some news," Harry said quietly. Snape stared at his godson calmly and carried on eating. The two wizards remained mute until the silence became too unbearable for Snape. 

"I have been wondering," he began and Harry sat very still when he recognized the Potions Master's teasing tone, "if you are to invite your... friends... over, how much do you think I need to cook?" 

"Be nice," Harry muttered. "We're still growing, you know." Snape laughed, relieved that he was able to distract himself from the worrisome news. They spent the rest of their meal in comfortable silence and then it was time for the raven-haired youth to clean up. "What are you going to do now?" Harry asked as he collected the plates and stacked them up in the sink. 

"I am going to deal with all those 'journals' you lot had prepared for the pre-NEWT project. And you'd better deal with the rest of your homework before we entertain ourselves with Defence practice this afternoon," Snape answered, giving a wicked smile to his groaning godson.

**********

****

Twenty-three minutes to two in the afternoon.

Harry rose from his seat and stretched his limbs slowly. Surprisingly, he had finished his Herbology essay much quicker than he had expected to. He fished out the study plan Hermione had worked out for him and scribbled a 'COMPLETED' in the designated area.He was tapping his quill absently against his chin when he was suddenly overwhelmed by an excruciating pain in his mind. His strangled cry brought his godfather to his room immediately, roughly shoving the door open. 

Snape quickly reached out to steady him and carefully made Harry sit on the edge of the bed. Harry gasped, blinking his eyes rapidly, and clutched at his godfather's strong hands. As the pain slowly receded, he could hear Draco calling out for him frantically.

**_"Drake, calm down. I'm fine," _**Harry tried to reassure his lover but winced when his 'tone' was harsher than he had intended. 

**_"Fine? You call that FINE?!" _**Draco predictably burst out in anger. **_"Voldemort is planning to get Snape and shoving all those vile images into your mind, making you feel as if you're the one who committed it and you say you are fine?" _**Draco nearly screamed and Harry was a little surprised by the intensity of his lover's thoughts. 

Draco's tone softened. **_"I just called the Dark Lord by his name... Huh. Voldemort... I thought he only did that stuff in your dreams... Green-Eyes..." _**The thought was so filled with love it made Harry dizzy and he felt as if he had been given a bear-hug by the Slytherin. 

**_"Draco Malfoy... I love you too," _**he replied, and trembled when those words formed in his mind. He finally smiled although his scar still burned. Draco was overjoyed to hear that from him and Harry basked in the feelings that washed over him, letting Draco's happiness erode Voldemort's taint on him. Harry heard Snape calling him and he looked up at his concerned godfather. 

"Voldemort has been told," he said quietly, staring intently at his godfather's stern visage. He saw the minute twitch in Snape's right eye. The Potions Master still felt edgy hearing him call the Dark Lord by his name.

"And **he's** angry," Snape stated calmly. Harry nodded and finally released his godfather's hands to rub at his scar. The pain was intense and he grimaced as he thought of a knife, not a wand, marking him the same way. 

"He has lost his second and he is furious. You were precious to him although he already _knew_ you were not his to command any longer," Harry continued speaking as he pushed his long damp hair off his face. _I need a haircut. _"But the fact that you are protecting _me_..." He did not finish the sentence when Snape gave him a hard look. 

"No," Snape said softly when Harry opened his mouth to speak. "Do not speak Harry." 

Harry's lips tightened and his expression was grave. He stood, glad that his legs were not wobbling and he went to the window. He maintained his silence and looked out. Emerald eyes swept across the grove of oak trees surrounding and protecting his godfather's home. He stood there, admiring the rays of sunlight that poked between the tree branches and the way they shifted as clouds traveled across the sky. 

"If Voldemort manages to get his hands on you," his voice was icy as were his eyes when he turned back to face his godfather, "I'll make him wish that he had never been Voldemort in the first place. If he so much as bruises your soul Sev, I will kill him." He was angry and he did not hide his emotions from his godfather. He felt surprise coming from two individuals: Snape and Draco. 

"You do not understand what you are saying," Snape said calmly. His face was utterly expressionless and Harry saw that Snape had shut himself out, black eyes looking boldly back at him. 

"But I think I do, Sev," Harry answered in a level tone. He knew what he looked like without turning to face the mirror. His face was set in a fiercely determined expression and his eyes had taken on a dark shade of green that seemed almost black. He saw his godfather's eyes widening in surprise. "It's rather simple. I no longer feel cold at the thought of murdering Voldemort. If it means that I will have my sanity, my health, and my soul by killing him... then I will."

Harry stopped talking and merely observed. Just by looking at the Potions Master's posture, he knew that Snape was tongue-tied; so was his lover. But although Draco had been rendered speechless, his feelings still flowed over to Harry and he was relieved that Draco acknowledged his need to fight. 

**_"Good choice Green-Eyes. Fight for yourself. No wonder you say you were nearly sorted into Slytherin."_**

"Did you just praise me, Drake?" Harry asked tenderly and Draco replied with several curses amidst his declarations of love for the Gryffindor. He heard Snape give a long sigh and he finally smiled. That expression somewhat eased Snape's feelings and he followed his godfather's order to finish up his work, wash and head down to the kitchen for a quick bite before they settled in for their Defence lesson. _Whatever makes the man happy I guess... _Harry walked back to his desk and rearranged the textbooks that messily decorated his study area. 

**********

Snape left Harry to clean up as he went to the kitchen to prepare a light lunch for both of them. Black miraculously appeared by his side and trotted happily into the kitchen after a brief moment spent curling around the Potions Master's heels. For some reason, Black loved to watch Snape working and he did not mind at all, just as long the cat didn't get in the way. 

As he took out the chicken thighs from the box – magically enchanted to keep meat cold and prevent rotting – he was having second thoughts about being Harry's godfather. _Maybe I should not have let him grow so fond of me... I feel like I'm a liability to him now... _His throat suddenly went dry as he remembered how the pair of emerald eyes glowed with love and protectiveness. He absently began chopping some ginger and added them into a bowl that was already filled with olive oil, pepper and curry powder. It was quite a frightening sensation for the Potions Master. He had not acknowledged affection of any kind until he let down his barriers and brought Harry into his life. It scared him to hear the vows for revenge coming from his godson and directed at Voldemort. He didn't know if he should be grateful for that. 

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then pushed the disturbing thoughts away. He focused on how much spice he should add to satisfy his godson. Since Harry started helping him in the kitchen, he was inevitably exposed to various spices and the raven-haired youth had taken a liking to coriander. Snape worked in relative silence, marinating the chicken for several minutes while Black watched everything with interest. Harry stood before the window in his bedroom again, sharing the beautiful view with Draco and basking in the sunlight that shone directly on him. The emerald-eyed individual stood there, wishing that the silvery-blond Slytherin was there beside him, and holding back a strong desire to go to where his lover was. 

**********


	7. Something new everyday

Fiery: Hello guys, took quite a bit of time to get this chapter checked by my betas! :p **Warning:** This chapter is slightly **'R' rated** (only at the end though)… and fluffiness is inevitable… I wonder if the readers got me in 'Author Alert'… save their time in tracking my work down… And I'll be doing a bit of 'Jumping' from PG-13 to R… but I personally think that there will be only 5 'R' rated chapters in this fic of mine… Out of twenty chapters… I think…

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~ Chapter 7: Something new everyday ~ 

Saturday, 5th July 1997. Fifteen minutes past five in the evening.

The Potions Master and his godson had been frantically working for the last hour preparing dinner for their highly anticipated guest. Prior to that, rather than spending their time in the study, sitting and pushing books all over the huge table, the two instead had been working out in the protected woods. They had finished cooking just minutes before and had quickly washed up. Snape was back in the kitchen, toweling his hair furiously as he took experimental bites of dinner. Harry on the other hand, set off into the woods for a brisk walk. He was going to meet Lupin out there rather than having the wizard Portkey-ing right into the house. His godfather certainly would not be pleased if Lupin managed to arrive crashing on the table and breaking bones in the process. 

Aside from being Lupin's escort, he had an ulterior motive for leaving the cottage. He needed some privacy to 'talk' to his lover. Draco was having some problems with the lady of the manor and Harry was trying his best to distract the Slytherin. A soft meow from behind made him stop in his tracks and he looked quizzically at Black. He decided that the Persian's behavior was rather strange for a normal cat, though he was nothing like Crookshanks, who was part-Kneazle. 

**_"I can't believe that she paid wizards to cast anti-Apparition wards all about the Manor!" _**Draco fumed. Harry was silent and continued to walk until he reached the boundary that signaled that he was about to reach the glade. He chose to lean against an oak tree as he waited, while he listened to Draco's voice in his head. He absently watched Black frolicking about in the lush grass, engrossed in chasing blue-winged butterflies. **Two swooping shadows distracted the cat from the insects and Black began pawing at the air. He launched himself upwards several times, swiping playfully at the owls who had come to play. That distracted Draco and since the Slytherin was locked in his bedroom, he had the privacy to do as he liked. Harry's lover looked through his eyes and he gladly shared the view. They watched Hedwig make several taunting swoops and Harry chuckled when she gave an indignant hoot; Black had managed to pluck a feather from her tail. 

**_"Your owl should stop taunting the cat before he plucks more of her feathers or she will have trouble flying silently for the next few weeks,"_** Draco observed, sounding much calmer now. Harry smiled to himself and then frowned slightly when his lover abruptly 'left' him. Apprehension gnawed at his nerves as he waited for a response from his lover. 

**_"Drake?" _**He projected his thought, not quite liking the feelings he experienced, all made possible by the bracelet he had created for the Slytherin. 

**_"Had I known that she planned for me to be cooped up in here all summer, I would have asked sanctuary of Dumbledore." _**Draco's voice was oddly flat. 

Harry wasn't quite sure how to react to that, and a strange sense of déjà vu invaded his awareness. _Just like Sirius... **"Maybe she's doing it for your protection," **_he said, although it sounded lame even to himself. 

**_"I don't think so Green-Eyes." _**Draco's tone was almost quiet. The silence in their minds stretched on for several minutes. **_"I need to explore and pick out several suitable hiding places. If I have to be confined in here, I want to make sure that I at least have a place to retreat and avoid her company." _**

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in thought. **_"But didn't you say that you're locked up in your room?" _**he asked and felt a definitely superior smirk from his counterpart. 

**_"Come on Green-Eyes. You can't expect a half-grown wizard _not _to pick up some things along the way." _**Draco's reply was filled with mischief and Harry's lips quirked into a warm smile. 

**_"Quite right,"_** he agreed, **_"but what if you're seen?" _**

"You're not the only one with an invisibility cloak," Draco replied. **_"The only ones I have to worry about are the house-elves. But don't worry, I'll bribe them if I have to..."_**

**__**

"Damn. Worrying about this won't help me much," the Slytherin said. Mercurially, his tone changed into a merrier one and it was not feigned. **_"I think Snape and Lupin will have a definite chance getting cozy later." _**Harry brightened up considerably, especially when Draco left him with words of affection.

He must have been positively glowing because Lupin gave him a strange look when he recovered from his instant travel. Harry tried his best to maintain a brooding expression but grinned widely in the end. 

"O–kay," Lupin said slowly before pulling Harry into a hug. The older wizard drew back to examine him and Harry had to try hard not to look away from the soul-piercing brown eyes. "I hope you don't mind me saying this Harry, but you look a hell of a lot better than you did a few weeks ago."

Harry smiled and his eyes took on a mischievous glint. "And you are looking as weary as ever," he teased and Lupin snorted. 

**********

Lupin was silent as he examined the young wizard but raised an eyebrow slowly when Black came forward to sniff him. 

"Ah... this is Black. He's Sev's pet. Or maybe the house's caretaker," Harry added and Lupin heard the fondness in the boy's voice when he mentioned his godfather. Lupin's feelings shifted and he cursed himself. _Bloody hell... getting jealous at my age... How Sirius would laugh,_ he thought. 

"Remus..." Harry called and he blinked.

"Sorry..." he answered, managing a sheepish smile that Harry returned with another grin. 

"I said, 'what is that in your hand?'," the boy repeated and he wondered what Harry was talking about when he remembered the object that had acted as a Portkey. He unclenched his fist to reveal it.

"Lipstick..." Skillfully, Lupin shoved the object into Harry's front pocket. The boy was wearing tight blue jeans that day but thankfully, the lipstick was rather small. The raven-haired teenager protested. "Sorry Harry, but you have to hold on to that for me. All my pockets have holes and Dumbledore wouldn't be pleased if I managed to lose the Portkey." 

Harry rolled his eyes heavenward. Hedwig swooped over his head and Harry let out an unrestrained laugh. Lupin noticed that Harry no longer had shadows under his eyes as the boy led them on the path back to the cottage. Soon, they came within sight of Snape's home.

"Dumbledore told me that this cottage was a legacy of Snape's mother." He watched Harry give a small nod. He looked all about him in approval. "It's a good place. Solid protections..." He jerked his thumb at the endless rows of oak trees. 

"Oh, before I forget," Harry said brightly, "remove your shoes as we enter the house. Sev goes barefoot, except during cold weather." Lupin smiled at that. Harry went on talking but Lupin wasn't truly paying attention until Harry said, "-And I'd hate to see him start acting like a hermit in the future," a little too flippantly.

There was just something in Harry's voice that made him uneasy and it was a good thing that both of them were walking. He doubted if he could stand still were Harry to look at him and discuss Snape. In order to distract himself from the discomfort he was suffering, he scrutinized his young friend. _I wonder what has happened that has put him in such high spirits, _he pondered.

Black whisked past him and disappeared into the cottage's interior. He belatedly followed Harry's advice, trusting the green-eyed wizard that it was all right for him to enter. He was just about to speak to Harry as the boy absently took his boots away from his hands when he felt the Potions Master's presence. Lupin turned his head slightly and there he was, arms neatly folded and a calm expression on his face. Snape looked like how he usually did when he was unguarded, or totally absorbed with studying. Oh yes. Remus 'Moony' Lupin had had a crush on Severus 'Snivellus' Snape for _years_. During his sixth year in Hogwarts he couldn't resist stealing glances of the dark-haired, gloomy, forbidding, powerful and _sensual_ Slytherin. Too many of those thoughts were milling about in his mind and it quickened his breathing. He licked his dry lips slowly and to his immense pleasure he caught Snape's obsidian eyes following the slight movement of his tongue.

Harry was looking curiously at him and Snape and that was all Lupin noticed. He could not have known that Harry was actually communicating with another individual, commenting about his reaction to the alluring Potions Master. Lupin was staring blankly at Snape and was so lost in his thoughts that he did not hear his colleague clear his throat. When Snape finally took two steps forward he snapped back to attention, brown eyes startled like those of a deer.

_Damn... _Lupin didn't have the faintest idea of what to say to the wizard who had invited him to dinner. He wasn't even certain if he could speak without his voice emerging as croaks. A thought flashed through his mind and without meaning to, he swore loudly, surprising the living daylights out of Snape and Harry. _I can't believe he tricked me! _Lupin was horribly shocked. _I let him maneuver me into thinking that I need to visit Severus… Well… yes I do have to, to get my potion… Oh damn! I can't believe he sent me here without at least making some preparations! I'm going to be stuck here until tomorrow! Dumbledore, you sneaky… And I don't even have spare clothing! All right… calm down… It wasn't the old man's fault. I wasn't paying attention when Dumbledore explained the fact that the Portkey would only be activated again tomorrow evening. _The D.A.D.A professor was still dealing with the fact that his employer had outsmarted him once again when Harry made a small wave to catch his attention. 

"Remus?" Harry asked, exchanging a slightly baffled a look with his godfather. It took a few moments for Lupin to calm down and finally notice that Snape was looking at him peculiarly.

"Sorry about that. Harry," he mumbled apologetically. Due to obvious reasons, the fact that he _was _ateacher meant that he had never used harsh language in front of anyone before. Well, maybe he did, but certainly not in the presence of students. 

"What was that about Dumbledore?" Snape asked silkily, accompanied by a raised eyebrow

"Gods..." Lupin muttered, running his fingers through his graying brown hair with an air of resignation.

"Remus..." Harry was getting rather impatient.

"I'm stuck here," Lupin answered, glancing at Snape guiltily.

"The Portkey," Snape responded with a thoughtful look. Lupin nodded. "Then you won't mind me quoting you that Dumbledore is certainly a cunning, decrepit old coot?" Harry choked back on laughter that was threatening to escape as Lupin stared dumbly at the Potions Master. "I see that you have not brought anything along for your night here. Whatever you need, you can borrow from Harry or from me." Snape stopped speaking, tilting his head to one side and Lupin felt himself flushing under the Potions Master's direct scrutiny. 

"When will the Portkey activate again?" Harry inquired as the boy made a signal for Lupin to take off his cloak. 

"Tomorrow at eight in the evening," he answered after spending some time remembering just what Dumbledore had said to him before his finger touched the lipstick tube. He suddenly grew uncomfortable when Harry _beamed_ at his answer and a few seconds later, Harry left the living room leaving the two adult wizards alone. 

"You look like hell Remus," Snape said softly without his usual sneer or bitterness. 

"Tell me something new," Lupin groaned and the Potions Master gave him a crooked smile. Suddenly, he found Snape standing less than a foot away from him.

"You want me to say something new?" came the low purr that sent chills up and down Lupin's spine. "Well... there is more gray in your hair than before and it seems that you have acquired more wrinkles since Harry's third year in Hogwarts."

A small growl escaped from Lupin's throat and he was tempted to wrap his fingers around the Potions Master's pale throat. He glared steadily at Snape but the Potions Master was clearly unaffected by it. In fact, his black eyes were twinkling with carefully contained cheer. 

"You did ask," Snape pointed out innocently and it made Lupin blink his eyes once. He had never seen the wizard so relaxed that he'd reveal a sense of humor, however slight it was. Snape's face lacked his usual sneering demeanor but that could have been simply because there was no one else around to terrorize except Harry. However, after Harry's fifth year, Snape simply did not frighten him as much as he once did. 

"If you have finished glowering at me Remus," Snape spoke in that low voice that Lupin personally liked, "I believe it is time for us to feed you." The Potions Master turned on his heel swiftly and disappeared through the small hallway that led to the kitchen, leaving Lupin to follow on his own. 

_Breathe! _He chided himself when he felt himself turning blue and inhaled deeply. He wanted very much to look around the house but the scent of roasted chicken reminded him that his lunch had already been digested hours ago. He was feeling a little hesitant about the dinner, especially with Snape. All in all, he was rather glad that Harry was there to fill the silence because that was how meals between Snape and him turned out; they would just eat in silence. _But maybe, now... it might be different. _

"Remus! Are you lost?" Harry shouted and Lupin snorted. He waited until he reached the kitchen's threshold before answering the young wizard. 

"I'm afraid not, Harry. Sorry to disappoint you though." He entered the spacious kitchen and somehow knew that this was Snape's territory. His eyes fell on the dishes laid out and thanked Merlin silently that it was rather simple fare.

The three wizards engaged in light conversation as dinner proceeded, carefully avoiding subjects related to Snape's guardianship or Voldemort. They were halfway through dessert – _When on earth did he find the time to bake? _– when Snape spoke of the latest potion to cure lycanthropy. 

"I'm not too sure about taking that," Lupin said slowly and Snape nodded. The reason why Lupin was hesitant about the new cure was because of the mortality rate of the test subjects. One out of every five consumers found themselves being totally werewolf, unable to transform back even when the Homorphus Charm was forced on them. 

It was not a pleasant experience for the Health Ministry since they were forced to put the uncontrollable ones down. "In any case, I'm far too used to being in the state that I am presently." Lupin shrugged as he drank the pumpkin juice. _And I am far too used to you brewing up the Wolfsbane Potion for me, oh indefinable one, _Lupin thought to himself. 

"I myself feel that it is wiser for you to wait a few more years and see if they are able to refine the potion," Snape opined. Lupin had to give a crooked smile at that, then they moved on to what Harry should consider for a lifelong career. 

"Potions..." Lupin muttered but Snape shook his head.

"As good as Harry is Remus, I am afraid I would rather have a Slytherin be my successor." 

"You mean to tell me that you'd let a student like Hermione pass up that chance?" Lupin asked incredulously.

"Miss Granger may be good... too good in fact, to waste most of her life in Potions. She's better off working with the Ministry or such like," Snape said.

"Well... if you're sure you're going to pass on Hermione..." Lupin said in an uncertain voice, "then who are you planning to 'groom'?"

"That is a rather obvious question... I think..."

"Malfoy? Are you sure he is good enough in Potions?" Remus asked archly.

"He is, and a natural at that, Remus." 

When the last piece of cake was devoured Harry offered to show Lupin around. His godfather gave him a penetrating look but remained mute and began clearing up the table. Harry first showed Remus the study and it did not surprise him to see that at least two-thirds of the study was taken up by bookshelves. Lupin saw Phineas's portrait and was considering sending a message to Dumbledore when Harry spoke lightly, "Don't even think about it."

That caused the older wizard to grin and Harry laughed soundlessly, malachite-green eyes flashing back merrily. After the bedrooms, they moved back into the living room and the stack of Muggle CDs on the mantelpiece caught his eye. Their presence was odd being that there weren't any CD players about the house. His confusion must have been evident since Harry chuckled. 

"I'm not entirely sure if I'll get into trouble with the Ministry because of this," Harry said a little timidly. Lupin watched curiously as the boy randomly grabbed a CD case and he felt his eyebrows raise in astonishment when he saw its cover. Harry deftly opened the casing and lifted the CD. Almost instantaneously, a bundle of silver rods materialized and Harry inserted the CD right in the middle of the floating rods. They began to spin faster and faster until the CD itself began to reel. A second later, 'Black Magic Woman' by Santana started playing.

Lupin couldn't help himself. He whistled, looking at the music device and Harry in amazement. The boy answered with a shy chuckle and raised his hand briefly to the whirling rods. They slowed down and he retrieved the floating CD then returned it to its casing. 

"Sev's probably making tea and some snacks. Would you like to take a walk in the meantime?" Harry asked politely. 

Lupin watched the young wizard as he thought. _He probably wants to have a chat, since I don't think Severus will be **that** long preparing tea. Unless he's going Muggle about it... _He shrugged, going to the shoe rack to get his boots. Ten minutes later, both of them were out of the cottage and Lupin was not surprised by the fact that Harry seemed to be leading them back to the glade where he had arrived earlier. 

The woods had taken on a far more shadowy appearance since dusk was steadily approaching, making it look far more ethereal than it actually was. It was warm but not so stifling hot that being dressed in a collared-shirt would be uncomfortable. Lupin stood for a moment in the center of the glade while Harry moved off to sit under a tree. He had no idea how long he stood there staring blankly at his environment, feeling his worries and weariness slowly drain out of his system. 

Feeling somewhat energized, he walked briskly over to his young friend and sat beside him, watching the shifting rays of sunlight dreamily. The silence between them grew heavier and the feeling of awkwardness slowly deepened. 

"Remus," Harry finally spoke. "What do you feel... about me... and Sev?" he asked, and Lupin watched him out of the corner of his eye. He wondered if Harry realized that the question could be interpreted in an entirely different way and he hoped that he understood what the boy was asking. If he didn't, he guessed that he would just have to deal with _that_ ache.

"You're asking me about how I felt when I learned that _he_ is your _godfather_," he stated lightly and felt relieved when Harry nodded. He broke eye contact and resumed watching the pillars of sunlight as he considered his answer. 

"I guess I was shocked... even stupefied about the entire thing," he replied slowly. It was quite sometime before he spoke again, in a tone that was nearly a whisper. "I'm surprised that you hid it quite so well from the rest of us, excluding Dumbledore. For some reason, I doubt that the 'old coot' would have been kept in the dark about this." He smiled. "Dumbledore gave us vague answers every single time we asked where you were before distracting us with more Order work. As I recall, he told me that you had been entrusted into the care of a trusted personage. I had assumed that it was his older brother or someone in his circle. I never expected that person to be my age." He smiled wryly before giving Harry a speculative look. 

"You're wondering why Dumbledore agreed to the arrangement and why it didn't cross your mind that I had actually left the sanctuary of my mother's magic," Harry responded with a slight smile. 

Lupin frowned at Harry's too-accurate deduction but swiftly replaced it with a blank expression. "Did Moody know about it?" he asked carefully and watched Harry's face intently. He saw the troubled look flash across the young face and noticed that the boy's eyes had turned dark; it could have been because the light was dimming around them. The young wizard raised his eyes and stared squarely into his.

"Yes," Harry whispered, eyes still not leaving Lupin's. "Mad-Eye was the one who made all the necessary arrangements, both for my stay with Sev, and in helping to hide the fact that I was staying with _Sev_." Harry paused and slumped against the tree. "Mad-Eye made sure that I wouldn't go crazy in there."

Lupin was aware that his young friend was fighting back the urge to release unshed tears but was unable to pursue his thoughts when Harry continued. 

"We had become quite close last year... Mad-Eye and me..." Harry told him in a preoccupied manner and his eyes behind his glasses unfocused a little. 

Both wizards contemplated in silence and Lupin was quite unwilling to break the mood. When Harry stretched his legs, his eyes widened and he took a quick glance about the forest. "Damn!" Harry swore, quickly getting up to his feet. "Don't just sit there! It's already late and Merlin only knows how long we've kept Sev waiting!" Harry exclaimed in despair and Lupin grinned crookedly. 

"Don't worry too much about him," he reassured his young friend. "Knowing Severus, he is probably doing a bit of marking or research in our absence." 

They did not hurry back to the cottage, seeing no point in getting themselves sweaty and panting. When they finally came upon the path to the house, Lupin saw the faint glimmer of lights. He finally noticed that the front door sprang open as Harry neared the cottage and he felt a little troubled that he had missed it earlier. _I hope this inattentiveness of mine is because I'm thinking too much about **him** and not a prelude to something far worse. _

"Seems like you were right about him," Harry commented as he paused to take off his trainers. Lupin looked curiously to where Harry was staring and smiled despite his attempts to keep an innocent expression plastered on his face. Snape, the Potions Master, was glaring at them from behind several stacks of books. 

As he had done earlier, Harry disappeared off to the kitchen. Lupin took his time taking his boots off, painfully aware of the silent scrutiny from a pair of sable eyes. When he turned, he flushed at the sight of Snape appraising him blatantly. _Calm down Moony... Harry can't stay in the kitchen forever, _he told himself. 

"Are you perhaps considering becoming a hall porter sometime in the future?" Snape asked in that peculiar velvety purr of his. Lupin glowered, showing the Potions Master that he too, could be grouchy at times. In less than five seconds, he had seated himself across Snape and not waiting to take a cue from anyone, he made quick work of rearranging the volumes scattered all over the table. He allowed himself a satisfied smirk when he noticed the stunned expression on Snape's face. 

The Potions Master quickly adopted an equanimous expression when they heard Harry's approach. He was humming softly under his breath and carrying a tray containing two mugs and a steaming teapot. Lupin took another glance at the tray. _Harry!_ He groaned inwardly. _He isn't going to leave me with Severus all night! Will he? _He struggled to keep a tight leash on his anxiety as he watched Harry carefully set the tray down and pour some of the tea that Snape had brewed earlier. 

Something much more curious than a missing mug captured his interest. Sniffing the air, he found the aroma was coming from the steam emerging from the teapot's spout. _This is definitely weird. Where in Merlin's world did Severus actually get the idea to brew tea **with** Screw Pine* leaves? _He did not bother hiding the look of incredulity on his face. Harry chuckled while Snape delighted at having the chance to smirk back. 

Lupin was feeling rather disinclined about having to try, or maybe in this case, taste the tea, but the scent was far too enticing for him to ignore. He gave in to the inevitable, pausing before he took a cautious sip. He was looking pointedly at Harry. "Aren't you going to join us?" he asked the young wizard then suppressed a sigh when Harry shook his head, saying that he had to complete his homework. 

"Living with Sev has taught me a few things and I have yet to find out if it would be any different if I were to live with Hermione," Harry responded with a smile. "I'll leave the two of you alone, so... enjoy." 

Lupin was startled to hear Harry say that. He would have spluttered in his tea had he drunk it but he did gasp. _Merlin... I hope he isn't saying what I think he's saying. _The sly smile on Harry's lips gave him second thoughts about staying in Snape's house even for the night, although the animalistic side of him was jumping with joy at the opportunity to unearth secrets from the most mysterious man he had ever known.

"Goodnight and I'll see you both in the morning," Harry told them and gave Snape a deliberate wink. Lupin felt as if he was about to sink onto the floor in a puddle of goo. He distracted himself from his embarrassment by drinking the tea which had cooled off somewhat during their exchange. 

"Too sweet," he remarked absently but took another sip. The Potions Master glared at him and got up to get something from the kitchen. His sudden movement alerted Lupin. 

"Severus, where are you going?" he asked mildly, looking up at the inscrutable face of the wizard from under his eyelashes. 

"I am going to get some water for you to _un-sweeten_ your drink, Remus," Snape replied in an exacerbated tone while looking murderously down at him. 

"Don't trouble yourself Severus," Lupin said and helped himself to more of the strangely-flavored tea. Snape halted before sitting down heavily and resumed reading his book. The ever-tired-looking D.A.D.A. professor was content enough to watch the harsh-looking Potions Master but took some time to analyze the tea he was drinking. 

The scent of the leaves was peculiarly soothing and the taste – combined with the tea – was as good as inhaling the aroma. His eyes finally closed as he enjoyed the sensations and his insides were warmed by the tea he'd consumed. Almost an hour passed in silence when the clock's Muggle tune broke it and he glanced up. It was ten o'clock. Suddenly Lupin felt strangely out of place; maybe it was because Snape did not bother hiding the fact that he was observing Lupin's every move. The Potions Master had ceased working about fourteen minutes earlier and was finishing his second cup of tea. _Damn... I can't stand the quiet..._

"I am aware that Dumbledore may have arranged this little overnighter to give me the opportunity to interrogate you, Severus_." _Lupin went straight to the point. Snape didn't even bat an eye. Lupin waited patiently for Snape to respond. 

"Are you going to?" Snape asked slowly. "Would you like me to take my own Truth Serum to help you along?" His tone was dangerously sweet. 

Lupin narrowed his eyes, silently cursing the wizard sitting directly across from him for attempting to stir up his negative emotions. "You will tell me how Harry ended up being your godson, how he came to find you, and how you broke the news to him," he said stiffly. "_I_, will decide what is true and what is not." His expression turned impassive. "Of course, Severus, should you try to falsify the facts or give me half-truths, I am afraid I will have to break your nose. _Again_. This time I'm sober and as such, unlikely to miss my target."

That was what had happened when both of them had gotten drunk together over Sirius's death, although Draco would be sorely disappointed that _it _hadn't happened. Lupin waited for the Potions Master to reply. Snape first gave him an indescribable look before giving a curt nod. Snape pushed his books and empty mug aside, leaning forward and resting his chin on his clasped hands. Snape did not blink as he stared at him.

"I will ask of you a favor; don't interrupt me until I'm finished," Snape said almost brusquely. Lupin nodded his agreement and Snape slowly told how of he was tasked with the duty by describing the events of the gathering nearly two decades earlier. 

For some reason, Lupin was unsurprised that it had been James's idea. It was just his way of doing things; no explanations were given for the actions he took. Lupin knew a bit about how life-debts worked and he waited in anticipation for Snape to move on to the next part of his explanations. 

The Potions Master informed him in a firm tone that he did not _send_ a letter to proclaim that he was Harry's godfather. Snape recited the facts of how and why Harry came to Hogwarts in an almost bored tone. 

"You're not serious!" Lupin exclaimed, golden brown eyes widening in horror when Snape mentioned that Harry had arrived at Hogwarts mounted on a broomstick with no one to guard his back. Curses erupted from his lips. 

"I am honestly surprised that Nature herself did not kill him..." he whispered, torn between awe and fear. "His father was never that reckless...attempting such a risky venture."

"That's because his father had two of you to watch his back and remind him what was crazy and what was not. Harry has no one. Well, no one who truly understands him at any rate," Snape pointed out dryly. "But then again, due to his current situation, it's best if no one _understands_ him." Snape then continued his account of how Moody arranged for Harry to live with Snape without too many questions being asked by the members of the Order, especially the Weasleys, who had treated Harry as a family member. 

Two hours passed and they found it more comfortable to talk about other topics; they did not discuss their other responsibilities longer than was necessary. Their conversation mainly revolved on the subjects of werewolves, newly-invented Potions, dueling spells, and their teaching plans. Snape and Lupin found the phrase, 'Maybe... when You-Know-Who is truly gone…', often quoted by the 'civilians' of the wizarding world, incredibly depressing and too reminiscent of the dark times they lived in so they never bothered to discuss that particular line. 

Soon enough, both wizards ran out of things to discuss. The silence between them grew heavier and not even the soft sneeze of a dozing cat was capable of lifting the gloom. Lupin's eyes glanced uneasily at Snape's but the Potions Master seemed to be ruminating about something. 

"I believe it is time for you to rest," Snape finally decided and began stacking his books neatly to one corner of the table. Then rising to his feet, he invited the werewolf to join him in the kitchen. Lupin tilted his head slightly and gave the Potions Master an inquisitive look. "Don't tell me you've forgotten the actual purpose of coming here?"

_Ah... but the question is what **was** my purpose? To take the Wolfsbane Potion... or to see you?_ Lupin stared at the spot where Snape had stood just scant seconds earlier and sighed. He quickly grasped the handles of the empty mugs and placed them back on the tray. He then lifted the plain black tray and moved quickly into the kitchen. Without being told to, he washed the mugs but Snape stopped him from emptying the teapot.

"I believe it is prudent to save things that are still of use, Remus," Snape said in a patronizing tone and Lupin bit back a retort. He set the teapot on the dining table instead. Snape handed him a huge goblet and Lupin gave a look of despair as smoke began to spill over the rim of the goblet. 

"You might have thought after years of consuming this potion that I should have gotten used to the taste," he remarked ruefully to the Potions Master. Snape didn't react to his words and having no other choice, Lupin drained the goblet at one go. He grimaced at the bitter, unpleasant aftertaste of the potion in his mouth.

Snape waited until ten minutes had passed before he gave Lupin another glass, this one containing plain water. Lupin gratefully took it and drank it down. He went over to Snape who was washing the goblet with care. Lupin's fingers accidentally brushed against the Potions Master's hips and he felt Snape stiffen at the unexpected contact. Lupin pretended that he did not notice the other wizard's reaction. 

His outward appearance may have been calm but inside, his mind was whirling about in conflicting directions. _Is there a guest room? Or do I have to sleep in the living room? _He fretted, a frown unconsciously forming on his face as he washed his glass. Snape stepped back, allowing more room for him. Lupin was still rinsing the glass, oblivious to the gentle, amused look of the wizard directly behind him. 

The moment the glass touched the rack, strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him backwards. Lupin gasped in surprise when he heard Snape's low chuckle. Hair tickled his cheek and he realized that the Potions Master was resting his chin on his right shoulder. 

"Too stunned for words, werewolf?" Snape asked in a whisper, his warm breath playing across his ear. Lupin's eyes became slightly unfocused when Snape licked the outer shell of his ear in an agonizingly slow pace before planting a kiss gently on his neck. 

The sudden action from the dark-haired man had indeed, shocked him to the point of aphasia. _Severus is not doing this with... He is not doing this to me... Oh Merlin! I want him! _His mind was rattling but his thoughts diminished when Snape began biting and nuzzling his neck at the same time. 

Lupin lost his control and gasped with pleasure. In a gesture that was almost reflexive, he tilted his head and was thrilled to hear the delighted moan escaping from the lips of the somber man. In his haste to turn and kiss Snape, his right hand struck the glass and he watched it crash onto the floor. The spell between him and the Potions Master was immediately broken and Lupin cursed his clumsiness. Snape was much quicker than he and with a single, sharply spoken _"Reparo," _the cup was repaired and he picked it up and placed it back among the many cups on the rack. 

"Come with me and I'll show you where you are to sleep," Snape turned to go and something snapped inside Lupin. He jumped on the unwary Potions Master and moving swiftly, managed to grab hold of one blue clad arm. With great deliberation, he pinned Snape against his own kitchen wall. 

Lupin's heart was racing and he was feeling rather delirious with the surge of adrenalin, anticipation and lust. He was glad now that Harry had chosen not to join them for their talk. His eyes fell upon Snape's thin, parted lips and involuntarily, he leaned forward to kiss them gently. _Soft..._He groaned. He licked tenderly on Snape's lower lip in a silent request and those delectable lips parted in invitation. He was thanking every god he knew that he was here and doing what he had wanted to do for years. He had released his hold on Snape's arm and now held the Potions Master in an unmistakably possessive grip. 

"Remus..." a plea escaped from Snape and it took a lot of effort for Lupin to withdraw from the other's lips. Both panted, trying to calm their breathing. "Not here..." Snape croaked and pulled him away from the kitchen and set off for the bedrooms. 

"Severus! Where are you taking us?" Remus hissed.

"My room," Snape answered softly.

Lupin's eyes widened. "But Harry!" Snape quickly silenced him with a kiss. When Snape released him, he was surprised to see that his colleague was grinning. It looked slightly odd on a face so marked by harshness but Lupin decided that he quite liked it. 

"He knows," Snape whispered. With a soft command, all the lights in the house went out – Harry had already turned his off hours earlier when he went to bed – except for Snape's bedroom. A part of Lupin hesitated and rightly so. It had been a long time since he had been in an intimate relationship of any sort. 

Snape somehow felt his uncertainty and stopped, taking one of his hands and caressing it. "We don't have t – " 

"No..." Lupin shook his head and his features became more determined as they entered Snape's bedroom. "I've waited too long for you." Looking at Snape's face as the Potions Master closed the door, he knew he had said exactly the right thing. 

Snape approached him once again and like an eagle swopping down to ensnare its prey, the Potions Master caught him in a tight embrace and led a fiery dance of passion with his tongue. Now, they did what they had not done in the kitchen, even when Lupin had pinned him against the wall. 

Snape's body heat coursed through him in an electrifying rush. _I want him so damn much... _It was a desperate thought and there was no doubt that Snape knew it, not with the evidence he felt as they ground their hips together.

"Stop," Lupin pleaded but Snape smiled cruelly, continuing his snakelike movements on the werewolf. "Severus..." came another fierce whisper. "I am too hungry for you and if you don't stop..."

"I don't feel like stopping Remus," Snape whispered huskily, breaths coming in harsh pants, black eyes glittering with pure need. His right hand moved to trace Lupin's arousal and he smiled when Lupin gasped and arched into his touch. 

"Merlin... At least take my clothes off!" 

A feral grin appeared and Snape cheerfully stripped him, clothes discarded all over the floor. Lupin did the same to his lover and finally, both were undressed. Snape took a moment to cast Silencing Charms about the bedroom before pushing Lupin down on _his _bed. Each sought the other's mouth and they moved together in bed.

"Sev!" Lupin cried out when Snape touched him and growled when his world exploded into billions of stars. His pleasure triggered his lover, and both spent several moments wrapped around each other, quaking and glowing in the aftermath. 

"Just like a pair of randy teenagers, aren't we?" Lupin muttered and Snape chuckled softly. "One might think that being in the prime of our lives would have taught us something..."

"I agree..." Snape mumbled drowsily and fell asleep, limbs still entangled with Lupin's. The still-awake wizard turned his head slightly to watch his slumbering lover and closed his eyes too. _Wediditwediditwedidit! _Lupin slept with a light heart, and a satisfied smirk etched on his face.

**********

****

In the world of Dreams.

Harry again was sitting in Draco's lap as the blond nuzzled the exposed skin on the side of Harry's neck. "Dumbledore will be so disappointed that they didn't wait for either of you to interfere," came the mumbled comment. 

Harry chuckled and pulled his neck away so that he could face the Slytherin as he spoke. "Why should it matter? You know, there's only one thing left to complete the picture..."

"What?" Draco asked with an eyebrow elegantly raised. 

"You and me... I am slightly envious that _they _got the chance to get their hands on one another and _we_ haven't," Harry elaborated and blushed when Draco examined him from head to toe. "In _reality_."

"Oh..." Draco answered in a bored manner, but his eyes were crinkling with laughter. Harry finally gave up trying to talk to his lover and kissed him instead. 

**********

**__**

Screw Pine Leaves: 

If you have no idea what this is, it is usually called Pandan (I think you'll be familiar with this term if you're an Asian), the people in Hawaii (and France) refer this as the Pandanus, Pandano in Italy, Spain, Portugal… It is quite frustrating that no links can be provided… You can go to Yahoo and type Pandan Leaves to search… 


	8. Slowly Falling

****

~ Chapter 8: Slowly Falling ~

29th July 1997. In the early afternoon.

Draco was stunned silent by his mother's irrefutable answer. He was standing a meter away from what had been his father's working desk. It was currently being utilized by Narcissa however. 

"I believe that is all Draco," Narcissa Black-Malfoy spoke icily and dismissed Draco with a small wave of her hand. 

The silvery-eyed boy resisted the urge to set fire to the ends of his mother's hair. He gave a brief nod at the witch and turned swiftly on his heel. His already pale face had turned white with suppressed fury. He did his best not to stomp his feet as he headed purposefully toward the library.

The rest of the Manor was shrouded in gloom; storm clouds had gathered earlier in the morning but it had yet to rain. House-elves jumped out of his way quickly. They were more than cowed by Narcissa's leather whip and the threat of flogging. They did not want to be on the receiving end of one of Draco's tantrums. 

The young Slytherin closed the library door behind him and leaned heavily against it. His stoic expression crumbled into one of helplessness and he struggled to stop himself from crying. He hated being locked in his house indefinitely; not many people knew that he wasn't really the type of person to stay indoors all day long. So far, only four people knew of his need to go outside occasionally: Dumbledore, Snape, Blaise and Harry. He himself did not know why he had an unholy fear of being cooped up in a room for a long period of time. Although the Manor was big, being imprisoned in the forbidding house for twenty-two days had nonetheless made him edgy. Forbidden to go out even to venture in the maze built at the back of the Manor, the young Slytherin had had to depend on finding things to keep himself occupied before he could fall victim to claustrophobia attacks. Too bad Narcissa thought it was too early for him to acquire his school supplies.

_I think I'll go mad if I don't get out and be with people soon... _He took a deep breath and renewed the door-sealing wards that Harry, who in turn had been taught by Snape, taught him. Although it wouldn't prevent house-elves from popping into the room, at least no one human could enter and distract him. Draco wished that his lover was available to speak with him even for a minute but Snape was currently drilling the Gryffindor on more information about Potions. For the sake of his lover, Draco did not call out to him for fear that Harry would be, once again, the object of verbal abuse. Snape had been incredibly peevish the past few days and Draco had commented jokingly that the Potions Master was missing a certain werewolf. Harry agreed discreetly that there must have been unresolved tension between the two wizards. What Draco was unaware of was that Snape was incredibly worried about how his Slytherin student was faring in the Manor. 

Draco unbuttoned his cufflinks and rolled his sleeves up. He walked over to a mirror beside one of the bookshelves. He stared at himself and was a little surprised at his reflection. He had always been on the lean side but he was positively, sickeningly thin now. _Thank Merlin that my dream-self isn't affected or Harry would have been questioning me about the state of my health. _He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed pensively, pulling a lock of his silvery-blond hair. After a moment of careful examination, he flipped it away in disappointment. His hair lacked the healthy luster that he managed to achieve after spending some time in the air. Maybe he wasn't eating as regularly as he should. 

It grew humid as minutes passed and he walked about the library with the front of his shirt exposing his pale chest. It would have been an act of seduction had Harry been present but at that moment, Draco's was only thoughts were about finding a way to release his tension and anger. He took his wand out and fiddled with it as he resumed pacing. 

Draco stopped at the center of the room and he focused on a single memory. When he felt he was ready, he uttered the incantation, _"Expecto patronum!"_ Sparks flew from the tip of his wand. He had failed to conjure up a Patronus yet again. Disappointment welled up inside him but he shoved the emotion away and continued to practice. 

_"Expecto patronum!" _

Draco had begun practicing the Patronus Charm after a lengthy discussion with Harry. The Slytherin confided to his lover that he had felt the presence of Dementors about the Manor four times since he had found himself imprisoned in his own home. The first encounter had occurred more than two weeks ago.Oddly enough, their presence coincided with Narcissa's absence. Coincidence? He did not bother wasting his time pondering his observation. The young Slytherin had carefully asked how Harry had managed to conjure up a Patronus and how one achieved the same results. Being occupied was a welcome thing for the silver-eyed Slytherin. He had finished all of his homework days ago; Hermione would have been galled to hear that he actually enjoyed doing schoolwork and that he could be as studious as she could, given the right atmosphere in which to study. After the completion of his homework, Draco found himself at loose-ends. He normally had weekend tutorials with his father (most of which were related to the Dark Arts) but his father was currently too busy fawning over the Dark Lord as he licked his wounds.

He redirected his thoughts and focused on his Patronus Charm. This time, a faint line of silver smoke spilled from the tip of his wand. Slowly, a cute, furry, little white ferret materialized.

"Oh please!" Draco started laughing at the figure. "Don't be insulting!" The young wizard stared as his Patronus made adorable little acrobatic jumps. "As cute as you are, I doubt the _shadows_ would be intimidated by you," he said softly. 

_"Finite."_ His ferret Patronus disappeared. It finally began to rain and Draco continued his self-education.

**********

Narcissa waited anxiously for the face in the mirror to appear. A few seconds later, its surface rippled and Lucius's strikingly handsome face materialized. 

"Come Narcissa. _He's_ waiting," Lucius spoke before the face vanished as quickly as it had appeared. 

"Kreacher!" she barked and instantly, the treacherous Black family house-elf turned up. He looked expectantly at Narcissa while muttering half-formed sentences under his breath. The witch considered the pathetic creature for several moments, wondering why she hadn't issued the order to behead the imbecile. Finally she said, "Keep an eye on the young Master. I'm going out for several hours. I'll be back before dinner." She did not wait to hear the creature's reply, but quickly wrapped herself in her light cloak and made sure she had her wand before she went out of the Manor. 

She walked for several minutes until she found the boundary where the Anti-Apparating spells were not applied. One moment she was in Wiltshire, the next she smelled the too familiar sea-air that she had grown accustomed to over the last thirteen months. She had apparated on the front steps of the mansion and she paused to study just how similar it was in appearance with the Malfoy Manor.

Someone opened the door. It was Bellatrix and she was dressed from head to toe in blood red. Narcissa unhurriedly walked up the steps before embracing her sister. For some unknown reason, Voldemort had chosen to pardon Bellatrix for causing the destruction of the Prophecy. Bellatrix pulled her into the house and shut the door with a negligent wave of her wand.

"They're in the usual room," Bellatrix said softly as she helped to remove her sister's cloak. Narcissa nodded and several minutes later, she found herself being cross-examined by the Master and her husband. The witch thought hard, trying to see if she could recall anything strange about her son. 

"Oh!" she gasped. Lucius and Voldemort had been quietly talking to each other when the soft noise caught their attention. Narcissa paled and feared the worst. A pair of dark ruby eyes stared at her calmly and she averted her gaze. She was trembling and she tried to hide it to no avail. Voldemort saw through it all and she felt the smile on _his_ face. "A few days ago..." she began timidly, "I noticed that Draco was sporting a new bracelet on his upper arm. Our son has always been fond of accessories but this one... I've never seen him _without_ it..." 

"Is that so?" Voldemort was immediately interested. Lucius scowled at her. 

"I didn't feel anything strange about it," Narcissa answered in a somewhat defensive tone. Silence filled the room. A few minutes later, Voldemort stood up and went over to the bar to pour himself a drink. 

He smiled thinly as he turned to face the other two in the room. "The Parkinsons have been successfully initiated, Lucius," Voldemort spoke before sipping his wine. "It would be entirely appropriate if Draco is initiated too." It was more of a command than a suggestion, no matter how mild he had sounded. 

"I will see to it, Master," Narcissa responded diffidently.

"Perhaps the Lestranges ought to go back with you," Voldemort said. Narcissa wanted to point out that it would be extremely risky since Dumbledore surely would have ordered people to keep an eye on the Manor but one simply do not talk back to the Dark Lord. 

**********

****

Back at the Manor.

Draco was still practicing when two of his personal house-elves popped into the room. He felt cross at their intrusion but did not snap at them. He brandished his wand menacingly instead. 

"What do you want?" he asked the female one, Nira. It was pointless to ask the male one, Let. He was simply too busy slamming his forehead repeatedly on the cold, unforgiving marble floor. 

"Master Draco..." The female elf whimpered before breaking out into a helpless wail. 

_Blessed Rhiannon... What on earth is this about? I hope they are not telling me that the Dementors are present because I already know..._

"Bad men, sir... Bad men coming to take young Master away!!!" The male house-elf managed to scream before popping out of sight. Nira nodded and sniffled before doing the same. 

Suddenly, Draco felt all emotions drain out of him. He collapsed bonelessly onto a chair. Somehow, he just was not reacting the way he knew he should. He felt numb. A part of him wondered just who the 'bad men' were when Kreacher – Draco felt his lips curl at the sight of the tainted one – appeared with summons from the lady of the Manor. He stared blankly at the empty air before getting to his feet. He approached the mirror once again to check his appearance. He carefully unrolled his sleeves and cast a charm so that they wouldn't look as rumpled as they had several minutes ago. 

He slid his wand inside a special pocket along the length of his thigh after he broke the spell that had sealed the library doors. Walking along the corridor stealthily, he masked himself with the normal icy expression that was so typical of the Malfoys. Shadowed forms tried to make themselves invisible but unfortunately for them, Draco was used to keeping his Sight activated. Snape would have been so proud of him were he able to see just how calm the young Slytherin was acting. Draco only hoped that he would be still alive to hear it from Snape. The gloominess of his thoughts must have been strong enough to distract Harry from work because a second later a thought was sent to him. 

**_"Drake? Why are you feeling terrified all of a sudden? The claustrophobia can't be that bad..." _**Draco could tell that his lover was baffled and worried at the same time. 

**_"I am?" _**Draco asked in surprise. He really did not know just what he was feeling at the moment. **_"Anyway, dare I hope that Snape will allow me to borrow you for a little while?" _**

"He has no choice, Drake. What's bothering you?" 

"My house-elves appeared while I was drilling myself in the Patronus Charm. By the way, a bouncing white ferret appeared... Getting back to the subject …Green-Eyes, the house-elves came by to warn me that 'bad men' are coming to take me away." Draco didn't say more since Harry immediately 'linked' in with him to watch through his eyes. And just in time as Narcissa's study came into view.

**********

****

In Snape's cottage. An hour later.

The Potions Master tried to occupy himself with reading his godson's half-written essay. It was difficult however as he constantly looked up to check Harry's pallor. The boy suddenly brought his head down to his hands wearily.

"Harry..." Snape abandoned the parchment in favor of an explanation. 

"Sev..." Harry's voice stuck in his throat. He finally succeeded after several attempts of clearing his throat but still, he only managed a barely audible whisper. "I think we should find another place where Draco can spend the rest of his summer in relative peace. "

"What in the name of the nine hells happened?"

"It is confirmed now... Narcissa has been in touch with Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort himself." Harry still hadn't raised his eyes. "Drake was summoned by her just now and I saw Bellatrix."

"What was _she_ doing in the Manor?" Snape asked sharply. 

"She and her husband came to check Drake. And they extended an offer to join Voldemort's ranks of course. Drake has eighteen hours to decide which side he wants to be on."

"I am sure you would not hold it against him if he were to accept," Snape said quietly and Harry snorted.

"He hasn't a choice, Sev," Harry responded in a tight voice. "Either he accepts the invitation or they'll kill him."

"And does your lover intend to accept the 'invitation'?" Snape asked and finally Harry looked up at him. The emerald eyes were dark, somber and fierce at the same time. 

"You know his answer as well as I do."

"Indeed," Snape agreed and went over to Phineas who had been watching the two attentively. 

**********

****

Malfoy Manor. In the library.

Draco locked himself in the library again after the meeting with his mother, aunt and uncle. He slumped back against the wall and slowly slid down. Laying aside his pride, he cried brokenly. He just wanted to feel clean, and if crying could give him the ablution he needed, all the better. Draco wasn't familiar with the spell his aunt Bellatrix had woven about him. It was funny; they hadn't been able to detect anything strange about the bracelet on his arm. They naturally noticed that it was magically made but could not tell that it held many other magical properties. Harry's gift had absorbed the majority of the effects of Bellatrix's spell but enough were left to make him feel open and _vulnerable_. 

_Should I be thankful that they didn't simply put me under the Imperius Curse? _

Crying did help to ease his tension and despair. Soon enough, his mind was active and he stood up. He slowly lifted his wand from its hiding place. If it had been a dagger, Draco would have been sharpening it at this point. What he did do was give his wand a couple of waves and blast several unused glasses. The loud rolls of thunder drowned out the mini-explosions echoing throughout inside the library. It was a great relief when Harry informed him that he, Sev and Dumbledore were making plans to 'abduct' him. 

_I don't care what they do... Just as long as I'll be free of this maddening... family... _Draco had regained most of his calm by now. He continued blasting apart menial objects in the library. He kept repeating to himself that he was a Slytherin and Salazar Slytherin hadn't been anything like Voldemort. _I'll be damned if I am going to shackle myself to a half-breed, and fight for his **cause**. I'd rather take on Harry anytime. At least with him, he'll do plenty of coaxing to get his way. Voldemort won't. Besides, Harry's 'mark' (the bracelet) is much prettier and more valuable to me than the Dark Mark._

Draco smiled to himself. He couldn't believe that he was impudent enough to think those thoughts. _Huh... whatever makes **me **happy, I guess... I am dark, but dark does not necessarily mean evil. _Draco smirked nastily and he again practiced conjuring up a Patronus. 

It was clear to the pair of house-elves who had been secretly spying on their young master that he didn't plan the taking to be an easy one. They drew themselves upright and looked at each other with narrowed, slanted eyes. They exchanged a smile and popped off to meet with a certain old man with outrageously twinkling blue eyes. 

**********

Fiery: I know it's a pretty short chapter… Chapter Nine will be up soon! This one's got actions in it and you don't have to wait long for it! I assure you that you will get chapter nine before Christmas! ;)


	9. Rescuing the Slytherin

****

~ Chapter 9: Rescuing the Slytherin ~

In Snape's cottage. Almost 5 p.m.

Harry stared numbly at the quill he held between his fingers. He was so busy contemplating Draco's disastrous situation that it took several sharp claws penetrating his dark blue jeans to make him realize that Black was actually resting on his lap. He put the quill down on the table and leaned back in his chair. His fingers scratched under the cat's chin and Black mewled adorably. 

He heard his godfather enter the room with a tray. "Coffee, Harry?" Snape asked as he set the tray down.

"Yes. Thank you."

"How is Draco?" Snape carefully poured some hot coffee for them both before taking a seat. 

"Still isn't reacting like a normal Slytherin should," Harry replied, dutifully drinking the black coffee. At least the drink perked him up. "When is _he_ coming?" He scowled darkly. Black gave a little jump when Harry involuntarily produced miniature lightning energy which spread from his entire body to the table. 

Snape choked on his coffee when it happened and frowned but relaxed when his godson started apologizing. 

"I'm sorry Sev. I'm just worried about Drake."

The two wizards sat in silence with Harry paying little attention to the cat on his lap and Snape watching Harry's every move. Finally, Harry's skin started tingling and his eyes fixed on a spot near the front door. Soon enough, the object of the magical disturbance appeared; Dumbledore was holding on to a huge black umbrella. 

"Very practical I must say," Dumbledore remarked as he waved the umbrella slightly before propping it up against the wall. 

"Coffee for you, Headmaster?" 

"I think I'll stick to pumpkin juice, Severus. My body does not tolerate caffeine as it once did." The old wizard sounded strangely weary to Harry and much of it showed as the Headmaster took a seat. Snape got up from his chair to get something for Dumbledore. Meanwhile, Harry was subjected to a most soul-piercing look by the old wizard. He calmly returned it and held the gaze as Dumbledore absently traced the silver ring he wore on his right ring finger. 

"I think you owe me an explanation, Harry," Dumbledore finally spoke. Snape, who had just came in with a glass of iced pumpkin juice, froze at the threshold to examine the situation. He decided that he should give the drink to the Headmaster before he made himself scarce. The Potions Master did just that, giving a small nod as Dumbledore murmured his thanks. His blue eyes did not leave Harry's face all the while.

Harry felt a little guilty and became somewhat tongue-tied so he waited for Dumbledore to question him instead. 

"I knew that young Draco was in some sort of exigency when this ring you made for me," Dumbledore tapped the ring gently, "gave me electric shocks." Harry stayed quiet and unresponsive. "I know that the bracelet would alert you if your schoolmate was in some kind of predicament. What I was not expecting was the detailed information _you_ gained from it. How did you come to know about the presence of Dementors or the fact that several wanted Death Eaters are at the Manor?" Dumbledore then took a long sip of his drink and waited patiently for Harry to speak. 

"The bracelet apparently likes its owner a lot," Harry answered in a clear voice. Dumbledore looked at him with questioning eyes. "Instead of being something that would tell me if Draco was in trouble, it manifested several other functions as well. We are able to communicate by forming thoughts in our minds, we're both able to feel what the other is feeling to a certain extent, and we are able to see through each other's eyes."

Harry stopped and lifted his mug to finish his coffee. He spoke in a much softer tone. "You _do _know that Draco is different?" He saw Dumbledore's eyes flash silver in consternation. "That he is much like you, in some ways?" Dumbledore visibly started. 

"Drake and I came up with a theory. The bracelet somehow sensed his instability and became more protective of him. And along the way, it also helped to stabilize Draco's ability to create fire out of air."

"Ah…" Dumbledore finally responded.

Snape returned to the room carrying plates of Shepherd's pie. The Potions Master sat with minimal noise and glared at Harry when his godson looked at the food dubiously. It didn't matter if his stomach was in knots; Snape simply wouldn't forgive him if the food did not go down his gullet. 

Several minutes later — Harry was still trying to eat — Dumbledore announced that he heartily agreed with the suggestion of placing Draco under the Order's care. They were arguing about suitable choices. In general, Dumbledore and Snape gave suggestions but Harry would find fault with the options. Finally tired of countering their recommendations, Harry at last asked, "Why not the Weasleys?" 

"But why not here?" Snape argued. "With us?" 

Harry stared at his godfather for one long moment and felt the sudden need to be blunt. He only hoped that Dumbledore would forgive him for his frankness. "Sev, are you out of your mind? If Drake is living with us, do you think we'll be able to keep our minds on serious things for very long? I will be going to live at Ron's place come mid-August and at least at The Burrow, our… movements will be restricted…" He ignored Dumbledore's surprised look. "I think living with the Weasleys would teach Drake something… Hermione and Ron would be there so I think Drake wouldn't get much chance to fool around…"

Snape was silent and so was Dumbledore. The older wizard wore a ruminative look on his face as he absently took hold of the black umbrella then paused. "Are you sure about this Severus?" 

"I have no objections, Headmaster. Perhaps living with the Weasleys will help Draco set his priorities in order. I do agree with Harry's statement that the boy would learn something new, maybe along the lines of how different his life could be if he had siblings." Dumbledore lifted an eyebrow in amusement and gave Snape a look that seemed to say, _"It is funny you should think of that,"_. 

"Then I'll go and fetch the necessary equipment. It won't take long for me to return."

Harry watched Dumbledore's form waver and become semi-solid as the body was sucked into the umbrella. When the form of the older wizard was successfully pulled in, the umbrella itself began to contract and it was next to vanish. _He must be off to get that specialized Portkey that_ _will take you anywhere you want it to_, Harry thought.

"I doubt that the Weasleys would appreciate the prospect of having a brat living with them," Snape commented wryly.

"I think that's an understatement Sev." Harry's face took on a blank expression. Several minutes passed before he spoke. "He's taking a shower. I just had to reassure him about his Patronus."

"Oh?" Snape lifted an eyebrow in the hope that Harry would elaborate the observation.

"He successfully conjured up a ferret but I told him that it would be different if he is really threatened." Harry's voice was carefully neutral although his lips twitched with amusement.

"Hmmm…"

They waited for Dumbledore to reappear and Harry managed to finish the light dinner his godfather had prepared. It had taken far longer for the Headmaster to return to the cottage than they had anticipated and the two pairs of eyebrows were equally raised when the old wizard not only arrived an hour later, but in the company of a pair of house-elves. 

Snape looked at the house-elves questioningly. "Is this wise, Headmaster?" the Potions Master asked, his gaze on the curious house-elves unwavering. 

"They can be trusted, Severus." Dumbledore responded firmly. "Nira and Let are under young Draco's personal command but they came to find me on their own initiative," he continued, then abruptly turned and opened the door. The old wizard stepped outside. When he re-entered, he said, "It's dusk now and I have the strangest feeling that Voldemort is up to something.

Harry and his godfather exchanged troubled looks and they finally settled down for some serious discussion on how they should attempt the 'abduction'.

*********

****

In the Malfoy Manor.

Draco stared fiercely at his mother's house-elf and for the fifth time since dinner commenced, he wondered about the whereabouts of his personal helpers. Dinner progressed in silence; there was more staring and covert examination from his relatives than there was conversation. Draco ate his food without really paying attention to what he was putting in his mouth.

He was carefully slicing his fillet when goosebumps spread across his body without warning. He saw several more dark shapes looming in the background out of the corner of his eye. The rattling breathing of the Dementors became more pronounced and he willed his heart not to race. He did not dare to turn and look or stop eating. 

"I trust the service of the house-elves are up to standard?" Draco was just about to take a bite of fillet when he heard the unquestionably silky tones of his father's voice. He only froze for a second then acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He was expressionless but his stormy eyes reflected that he was thinking furiously. _How did he get here? And why? _

He chewed on the food in his mouth as he formed a thought carefully in his mind. He called his lover.

**_"Drake?"_**

"Green-Eyes, my father's here…" He sounded urgent even to himself.

**********

****

Back at Snape's cottage.

"What?" Harry's irrelevant response caught the two older wizards off-guard. Harry on the other hand, was unaware that his reply to Draco was verbal as well as telepathic. 

**_"Voldemort… He's here too…" _**Harry managed to hear Draco's answer before he was totally blocked by his lover. 

**_"Drake!" _**Harry felt numb. "Draco is really in big trouble now." Dumbledore and Snape stared at him as they waited for his explanation. The Gryffindor buried his face in his hands in exhaustion.

"We don't have much time to summon the rest of the Order or Aurors," Harry mumbled. "Voldemort has planned something… Why on earth did he and Lucius go to the Manor?"

"Harry, you are not making any sense," Snape snapped. "The Dark Lord is not so foolish a man as to hold a… congregation in the Manor." Harry looked up to see his godfather's pale face and Dumbledore's concerned one. 

"I believe… it is a trap to lure you out of hiding…" Dumbledore gave his opinion, staring at Harry with a penetrating gaze. 

"Either way Professor," Harry started in a firm voice, "it is a trap. I go there, they _will _attack _me_. If I don't, Draco either gets killed or he will be forced into serving Voldemort."

"There is absolutely no chance of us forming even a guard," Snape said flatly. 

"We can forget about dueling," Harry answered just as flatly as he stood. His eyes fell on the baffled house-elves. "Go back to Draco," he instructed. "Protect him as much as you can until I get there." The two house-elves nodded their heads vigorously as they disappeared. He turned to Dumbledore. "Not every house-elf is as bad as Kreacher… Maybe it is because of his age and fixation on the iron rules of the Blacks."

The Headmaster nodded knowingly. "You are assuming that something resembling a fight will occur," the old wizard mused. 

"Voldemort may not be the one to issue the challenge," was all Harry said. Addressing his godfather next, "Do you want to come with me or would you rather accompany Professor Dumbledore to speak with the Weasleys?"

Snape did not answer as he disappeared into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. Minutes later Snape appeared dressed severely in black. In one hand, he was holding the dark emerald cloak he had gifted Harry with as a Christmas present. Harry took it gladly. Though his face was somber, his green eyes gleamed brightly and it was complemented by the brilliance of Snape's coal-black eyes. 

"The two of you," Dumbledore called to them in a grave tone. "If getting Draco out of the Manor and shipping him to the safety of the Weasleys is your objective… stick to it." He looked sternly at his employee and student. Snape nearly smirked but kept it well hidden. Harry gave the Headmaster a crooked smile. 

"I trust _you _to make sure that Harry gets out of this safely, Severus," Dumbledore said somberly as he handed a small leather-bound book that was hidden in his voluminous robes to Snape. "And Harry," the old wizard turned to the Gryffindor who was in the middle of fastening his cloak about his shoulders. "Make sure that all of you return to the Weasleys safely."

Harry nodded. Snape and he looked deeply into each other's eyes. Snape examined the small book in his grip.

"Ready?" Snape asked softly.

"No matter how ready I am, Sev, somehow my body dislikes the idea of traveling using a Portkey," Harry replied lightly, making his godfather smile.

**********

****

In the Malfoy's dining room.

Dinner was long since over but Lucius would not allow anyone to excuse themselves from the table. The silence was oppressive but no one was inclined to break it unless Voldemort did so himself. Draco spent most of his time staring at the painting of the Black Lake and since it was magical, it enabled him to feel as though he was looking out from one of the many windows of Hogwarts Castle.

"You have a remarkable offspring, Lucius," Voldemort said smoothly into the silence and Draco felt ridiculously amused to hear the soft, barely audible sighs of relief from the people sitting around the table. 

"One can only hope that he has learnt what his parents have taught him," Lucius replied diffidently. 

"Indeed," Voldemort responded and stared at Draco speculatively. 

Draco was engaged in an internal conflict. He wondered if he should continue his avid examination of the painting or give the Dark Lord the slightest hint of acknowledgment. In the end, he stared at the table as he drank. He was careful to leave his mind blank as Voldemort spoke directly to his father.

He was so busy examining how gnarly the table looked to him that he was unaware that a Dementor had broken ranks and moved in to approach Voldemort. Something seemed to pass between the Dark Lord and the Dark Creature. After a few minutes, the creature rejoined the rest of his kind and Voldemort sat in deep contemplation. Then he nodded slightly and swiftly, tight magical ropes bound Draco to his chair.

He was totally caught by surprise and a small gasp escaped from his throat when his muscles tightened reflexively as the ropes rigidified. Narcissa and Bellatrix were protesting at the callous treatment. Voldemort looked only at Lucius who seemed indifferent to his sudden attack on Draco. 

"I will not blame you for your son's… misbehavior, Lucius…" Voldemort spoke as he stood then casually walked over to Draco who had stopped struggling against the bonds. Voldemort's wand appeared in his hand. "_Crucio_!" Draco let out a soundless shout. He was suddenly trapped in a torturous limbo and all thoughts vanished until only the pain remained.

**********

****

Somewhere near the Manor…

"Ah!" The moment Snape and Harry emerged in the Order's hideout, the boy collapsed to his knees. Mundungus Fletcher, briefly startled at the unexpected arrivals, quickly went over to check if Harry was all right. Snape stared in the direction of the Manor before kneeling down. 

"Harry…" Snape urgently called his godson.

"Voldemort…" 

"You mean he's in there?" Fletcher whispered. Harry nodded weakly and Fletcher swore under his breath. "Ray!" he called the other man on watch urgently.

"What's up?" a tall, slim and gray-haired man demanded. 

"I don't know how, but the Dark Lord somehow found a way to get inside the Manor."

"That's impossible Dung! Fudge ordered Narcissa to hire wizards to cast wards that would prevent anyone from coming in or out, be it by Portkey or any other form, except for Narcissa and her son!"

"I think the Minister's orders were somewhat ignored," Snape added and the other two members exchanged grave looks. "From what Harry told me, only Anti-Apparating wards are in effect." 

"What's your business here Snape?" Ray abruptly asked before Fletcher could ask any more questions. 

"Non-official Order business," Snape evaded then quickly examined Harry. "I think it's time we go in there." Harry did not answer but got up and withdrew his wand from his pocket. 

"Wait! Have the two of you lost your minds?" Fletcher almost yelled. 

"It's all right… We got permission from Dumbledore…" Harry replied distractedly. His eyes were focused on the white walls of the Manor. _Merlin… I forgot that he actually has a large house…_

The two wizards approaching the Manor in stealth depended largely on the darkness to hide their movements. If Narcissa or some other brilliant mind took the time to weave spells that allowed their movements to be tracked magically, their hopes to approach Draco quietly would be impossible. 

"I can't rely on my connection with Drake to lead us there," Harry quickly whispered into Snape's ear. The Potions Master nodded and took the lead. They tread the ground warily as they neared the Manor. 

**********

When Voldemort stopped the Cruciatus Curse, Draco was soaked in cold sweat and he was gasping for air. Not knowing what it was like to drown, Draco imagined that the feeling was somehow similar. Being hit with the curse, he was unaware that he had actually fought against Voldemort's bonds. _I'm bleeding, _came the inconsequential thought. Slowly, his wits returned to him. _No wonder I feel like… _He slowly opened his eyes and looked at his arm. Harry's bracelet was glowing fiercely. Another thing he noticed was that the bonds had actually sliced through his clothing during his struggles. He gulped and forced himself not to think about how Harry would react to seeing him in this particular state. He shook his hair out of his eyes wearily and saw Voldemort staring at him with hostility. 

"Potter…" the Dark Lord hissed. Dark red eyes were fixed on the glowing bracelet. "How long Draco…" Voldemort's voice was harsh and demanding.

However, the young Slytherin did not answer as suddenly the candles and magical bulbs of light illuminating the dining room went out. The room instantly plunged into darkness and Draco started feeling very nervous as the room's temperature fell. Something groped at him; he couldn't help himself shrieking. A long rattling sound came from behind and a trapped Draco shuddered as he felt something around his neck. It felt cold and it soon spread. He was paralyzed. His scream died in his throat, finally aware that a Dementor held him by the back of his neck. 

Sparks flew from out of nowhere and Draco felt himself jerked upright with the chair and bonds. Curses erupted in the darkness and he heard Voldemort ordering his minions to get Draco. 

"Ouch!" he yelped as his head bumped into something very solid.

"Nira is so sorry Master Draco!" a voice from somewhere _below _him squeaked out apologetically. He frowned. No one had yet cast spells to brighten the room. There was a muffled 'poof' and he suddenly felt pressure on his thighs. There was more groping but this time, the owner of the hands were tracing the magical bonds wrapped about his slender frame. 

There was a slight sizzling noise and he nearly toppled out of the chair when the bindings disintegrated without warning. He wished he hadn't move; the pain caused by the lacerations all over his body worsened. 

"How in bloody Salazar's name did he get up there?" Rodolphus Lestrange, husband to his aunt Bellatrix, demanded loudly.

Draco froze and muttered an oath when he noticed that his lover's bracelet was acting like a beacon. _Sweet Merlin… Where on earth are my rescuers? _

"Master Draco?" the voice from somewhere in front of him whispered softly. "Dumbledore gave orders to two someones to get you…"

"All right but get me down first. I am like a sitting duck up here…"

As he descended, he ignored all of his wounds to get his wand. Fortunately for him, it was undamaged. Without warning at all, someone rushed at him. 

"Don't think you are running away from this, nephew." Draco was brutally slammed against the display cabinet and he lost his temper then. It was rather understandable since the piece of furniture held many things that could do you severe damage if unsettled. His impact broke the glass and several objects lunged at him, quickly sinking razor sharp teeth, fangs and claws into his skin. 

With his anger coupled by the sudden activity of the bracelet, his captor was flung forcefully several feet away against the massive oak table. Loud explosions occurred and the sparks allowed him to take note of his position. His house-elf appeared by his side and took care of the biting magical objects for him. 

_"Expelliarmus!" _

At the same time he heard his lover's voice, he felt Snape's familiar presence in the room. More blasphemies filled the kitchen and he heard Harry's. 

"Dementors?!" 

"Someone conjure up those blasted candles! I can't bloody well see where I'm going!"

"Narcissa! Do it!"

"What? Why?"

"Don't be stupid Cissa! You're way better at those things than I am!"

"Fools…" Voldemort hissed then muttered something in Parseltongue. It seemed like the air above their heads were filled with hundreds of brilliantly lit candles. Everyone froze. 

**********

The Dementors flinched but they had nowhere to go. They plastered themselves against the wall. Harry scanned the room, taking note of the Dementors first before he searched for Voldemort. The two stared at each other for a long time. Harry was the first to break the gaze. Snape had already reached Draco but the Potions Master looked somewhat horrified at his student's state. Finally his eyes hunted and held a sparkling pair of clear silver eyes. 

"Sir…"

"How dare you!"

"Traitorous sniveling idiot!"

"Sev…" Harry looked inquiringly at his godfather. Snape did not nod but he knew what he should do. The emerald-eyed archenemy of the Dark Lord saw the fierce look that Snape gave Lucius. With a long sweep of his arm, the room was suddenly reeking of acrid gases and a smoke screen was in effect. Choking and coughing noises followed.

"Come…" Snape whispered suddenly and Harry saw him guiding a very pale Draco. 

"Don't think you are going to get out of this house alive Severus!" 

"Quickly then…" Harry nudged his godfather slightly and quickly wove a shield to help stall Voldemort. The three of them scuttled quickly out of the dining room. They ran out of the front door as fast as Draco's legs could carry him. The next few seconds, they were finally out under the night sky and Harry was helping Draco in the direction of the Order's hideout. 

"Green-Eyes!" Draco gasped, forcing his eyes to remain in focus although the pain of his cuts and the effects of the Curse were blinding him. "Snape!" 

"What?" Harry whirled around and found that Lucius and a couple of Dementors were on the steps. Draco's father held his wand out, pointing it menacingly at the Potions Master who had somehow fallen flat on his back. "Damn!" 

**********

Harry's eyes widened when the boy felt Voldemort blasting his way to get to the front door. Draco would have felt hurt when his lover completely forgot about him to rush to his godfather's aid if he were not so completely wrought with pain. His legs could no longer hold his weight and he sank to the ground. 

Looking up to watch his lover, he saw Harry flinging and weaving several spells to keep Voldemort busy. _But Father…_ Draco quickly heaved himself up with sheer will.

_"Avada Kedavra!!!"_

Instead of hitting a helpless, hexed Potions Master, the Killing Curse hit a solid black wall that absorbed the spell completely. With strength Draco didn't know he possessed, he wrapped Harry's godfather with the black wall and _pulled. _

His lover was pulling off almost the same trick but the Dark Lord wouldn't let them have an easy retreat. That caused Harry to experiment with an idea he had been thinking about for weeks. He cast a temporary shield and when it diminished, silver arrows rained down on the Dark Lord and Death Eaters alike. The arrows weren't quite meant to do physical damage. Where the arrows hit, everything became frozen and that's when Harry fled. 

Draco did not see the outcome of his lover's ingenuity since he was busy trying to lift the full-body bind spell from Snape. Once Harry reached them, he took over and his Slytherin counterpart let him but began having second thoughts when the Dementors began making their approach. Snape gasped and inhaled deeply. Draco breathed much more easily now that he knew that the Potions Master was all right. 

"Sev! The book!" Harry urged as he stood to face the Dark Creatures. _"Expecto Patronum!"_ The Dementors kept coming. Harry frowned as he concentrated on directing his stag to charge the creatures. 

**_"Drake… I need your help… Try conjuring up your Patronus…"_**

"I can only try Green-Eyes…" Draco didn't dare admit to his lover that he was tired. He was actually on the brink of incapacitation.

They left Snape to compose himself and get the Portkey out. Draco spent several minutes trying to call but didn't allow himself to panic when the Dementors came to encircle them. The three wizards now stood back to back with Snape directing his own Patronus, curiously enough, a panther. A small part of his mind noted that each time Snape's Patronus successfully tackled a Dementor, the Dark Creature started to shake violently and then… nothing. The fallen Dementor was gone without a trace. 

Draco shook himself slightly and thought of the first time he rescued Harry from his nightmares. Peculiar warmth spread through his heart and he waited for the right moment. _Since when have I cultivated intuition to help me make my decisions?_

_"Expecto Patronum!" _Draco called sharply. 

**********

Harry had taken care of the Dementors within his range of sight and turned to help Draco and his godfather. His breath was immediately knocked out of him as he watched something so familiar swiftly running and striking at the Dementor in its reach. 

_Sirius… _Harry was stumped and watched his lover. Draco was sweating and he looked very pale but the determination in the silver eyes explained why his control over his Patronus was extremely strong. _He managed to get his true Patronus… And quicker than I had…_

When the last of the Dementors vanished, Harry probed the bodies still frozen at the Manor. _They'll be coming around soon… _Draco's Patronus had vanished when the Slytherin called it back and Snape held the small book ready. Harry took Draco's hand and nodded. 

The next thing he knew was Ron's loud voice yelling, "That bloody well can't be true!!!" Snape, Harry and Draco had successfully Portkey-ed into the backyard of The Burrow. The Potions Master signaled Harry to enter first. The Weasleys — Hermione was there already — were still crowded around the dining area and talking to Dumbledore who was looking rather haggard. 

Without Harry noticing it, Draco drew himself away and sat on an unoccupied stool to wait. The green-eyed boy came to stand directly behind Fred and listened to George thoughtfully suggesting that Draco could use _their _room. Ron was about to protest when Harry significantly cleared his throat.

"Harry!" several voices exclaimed at once. 

"Uhmmm… Does anybody know any healing spells?" he asked timidly. 

Mrs. Weasley snapped her mouth shut then examined him. Her expression became baffled when she found that there was nothing wrong with Harry. 

"Malfoy!" Hermione gasped and everyone stared at the bloodied, slumped form of the Slytherin. Draco had fainted quietly and Snape muttered an oath. Mrs. Weasley stared at the Potions Master with a look signifying that he ought to watch his language when the children were present or she would probably set him something nasty to do. It seemed that she was informed of Snape's guardianship and had acknowledged — although a little reluctantly — that he was a part of the family now. She continued to glare at him — and Snape returned the glare — but then stared at Draco in shock when she saw just how badly the boy was wounded.

"I think we need a Healer," she said weakly.

**********

Fiery: So, how was this chap? Was it ok? Chapter 10 will take slightly longer as I've just submitted it to my betas and since the festive season is just around the corner, it might be a week before they send it back to me… Well, I'm off to watch LOTR! So enjoy reading this! 


	10. Ganging up on the Minister

**__**

Firesword: Truly terribly sorry that this chapter couldn't be posted for Christmas! I have to thank Ipo a.k.a. Hogwarts Hag, my beta for helping me out when I couldn't think of a name for Draco's eagle owl. Helios: Greek God of the Sun; favorite animals are the cockerel and the eagle. In my first HP fic, I had named Draco's owl Bootes but I didn't want to cause confusion since the two stories are unrelated. I really have to thank my two personal wonderful betas, Allexandrya and HH for working with me to correct my grammatical errors!

****

~ Chapter 10: Ganging up on the Minister ~

Thursday, 31st July. Early morning.

The Burrow was quiet and the Weasley twins were just beginning to stir from their sleep. Fred was still lazing in his bed but George immediately jumped up to his feet and checked his watch. Both of them were no longer living _in_ The Burrow; just last spring they had built a shed on the property for themselves. Undoubtedly, the shed was also used for their experiments. 

"You'd better wake up, Fred, or we won't have time to come back for the celebration later," his brother told him and he groaned.

"Let's take the day off…"

"Even so, we'd have to get a notice up," George pointed out. 

"All right," Fred answered grudgingly and removed the pillow that he had used to cover his face since he started to wake. "I think we should go to Madam Rosmerta's for breakfast. Mum was pretty tired after helping that healer bandage the Slytherin. Why Madam Wisp used Muggle medicine I have no idea," he spoke as he crawled out of bed.

"I didn't know that you had a shred of consideration in you," George teased and his twin threw a pillow at him but missed by several inches. 

"She's our mum for Merlin's sake…" Fred answered in exasperation. "Did the Slytherin brat wake up after I went to bed yesterday?" he asked curiously but George shook his head.

"Nah… He was still out cold. You would think that after being unconscious for more than eighteen hours he would wake," George commented, his face showing disdain. "How can he be so tired from being trapped in a chair for a few hours?" 

Fred answered ten minutes later. He had washed up and was beginning to get dressed. "I forgot that you were nowhere near Malfoy when Wispy came to examine the brat," he said with a twinkle in his eye. By the time the Healer had arrived at their home on the night Draco was brought in, George was off owl-ing his girlfriend of eight months. Cassandra Homes was a Hufflepuff but she was so inconspicuous that no one seemed capable of remembering her until the night George bumped into her at Ollivander's. Seeing his twin's face glow at the mere mention of his girlfriend, Fred smirked. _Thoroughly smitten… I wonder when **I** will get moony… Really enamored._

"Freddie-pie?" George waved his hand in front of Fred. 

"What did you call me?" Fred asked menacingly.

"Called you 'Freddie-pie'," George shrugged as he spoke. "Did I say something wrong, partner?" Fred glared unrelentingly, not fooled by his twin's feigned innocent look. 

"Don't ever call me that or you'll regret it," Fred said firmly. He could hear the deceptively sweet voice of his ex-girlfriend just thinking about the nickname. 

"I wasn't implying anything!" George defended himself. 

"Whatever it is, George, don't try to patch me up with my ex." Fred sounded very serious this time. 

"Just what happened between the two of you?" his twin asked curiously.

Fred sighed. _Of all the times to bring the subject up, he has to pick this morning… _"I caught her dallying, all right?" he answered quickly.

"People do that all the time!"

Fred took a deep breath. "Blast you! She did _it_ with another man!"

George went quiet. "I didn't know you could be possessive too."

"Only when I care bro."

"So what did Wispy say when she came and saw the brat?" George steered the conversation in the right direction.

"She said that Draco was exhausted physically. Understandable I guess, after being locked in a big house for three weeks. What Harry told her gave me quite a shock though," Fred told his brother as he brushed his hair. Without waiting for his brother to urge him, he continued. "Harry informed her that Draco was probably drained because he had been placed under the Cruciatus Curse and then, he wrapped a shield on Harry's greasy-haired godfather to absorb the Killing Curse. On top of all that, he conjured up and directed a Patronus too. I think that's what did him in."

"Malfoy… _Patronus_?! You've got to be kidding!" George was torn between surprise and awe. "He managed to call a Patronus?"

"That's what Harry said but I won't believe it until I see the evidence myself. Come on, we've wasted enough time tal—" Fred tripped on something flurry. "Crookshanks! Sleeping on the steps isn't an ideal place for napping! I almost squashed you!"

"Do you think his face will get flatter?" 

"You're being bloody annoying today, twin."

"Just trying to cheer you up," George replied cheekily.

"You're making me feel murderous you nit!" Fred looked down at Crookshanks who was stretching himself. "Since you're here, pass this note on to Mum for us." Hermione's cat gave a small meow and accepted the small piece of parchment from George. It was a message to Mrs. Weasley letting her know that they would be going to work early. 

Fred held the door open for Crookshanks so that the cat could go to the main house. Twin cracking sounds pierced the peaceful silence as Fred and George Apparated off to work.

**********

Ron gave a small yawn and turned on to his side. He opened his eyes blearily. _Where's Harry? _Panic welled in him. Then he berated himself for jumping to conclusions. The rumpled state of the bed next to his assured him that his friend had used it. _He's probably gone off to the bathroom… _His thought faded as he fell asleep again.

**********

Draco woke up to a warm sensation on his stomach. He slowly opened his eyes and waited for them to focus. The room was dark and he wasn't able to see what was lying on his abdomen. Cautious, he tediously activated his Sight. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw a half-sitting, half-lying body surrounded by a misty blue aura on the bed. 

He raised his right arm carefully and wondered why it felt bulky. _Well, isn't this curious. Harry's bracelet isn't glowing… Or is there something screening it? _He stared at his palm and cautiously called up some light. Slowly, lime-green flames appeared and he slowly moved his hand nearer to the sleeping form. Next, he tentatively pulled his left arm out from under Harry's chest. He breathed a sigh of relief when his lover was undisturbed by his actions. He wanted to surprise his dark-haired boyfriend.

**_"Isn't it more comfortable if you sleep in a bed, Green-Eyes?" _**Draco asked as his left hand came to stroke Harry's hair gently.

**_"I wanted to be with you," _**his lover replied sleepily. Draco noticed with a slight degree of astonishment that their 'communication' actually sounded much clearer now that they were in close contact. Belatedly, Harry realized that Draco was 'talking' to him.

**_"You're awake!" _**Harry exclaimed, immediately pulling himself upright into a sitting position. The raven-haired boy came precariously close to the flames in the Slytherin's hand as he moved. 

Draco smiled as he watched his lover's still-sleepy face. He chuckled as he studied Harry's ever-messy hair. **_"Have you ever considered using Sleekeasy's Hair Potion?" _**he asked as he watched Harry conjure up a candle above them. Draco let the flames extinguish and he reached for Harry's hand. 

Harry was thinking similarly and both smiled as they held the other's hand. **_"How peculiar…" _**His lover obviously had noticed the drastic change in hearing their 'voices'. **_"Well… I did… Hermione's certainly nagged me enough to try and use it, but I don't know," _**Harry shrugged. 

**_"Why am I all wrapped up like a mummy?" _**Draco asked quizzically. Harry, without letting go of the Slytherin's hand, pulled his chair closer to the bed. 

His lover settled down again in his chair before answering. **_"You've been Healed the Muggle way. Madam Wisp — she's the witch who helped you — told us that the Health Department is rather low in Healing Supplies so the medics have to really plan on how they use their resources," _**Harry spoke, carressing Draco's palm with his thumb. **_"The damage done to you wasn't that serious so she just applied this greenish paste on your cleaned wounds and bandaged you up. She forced some of us to learn the Sterilizing Spell and Sev knew how to duplicate the healing paste."_**

Draco gave a fond smile. **_"In short, my medical expenses have been reduced." _**Harry gave a soundless chuckle. Draco's thoughts drifted and perhaps it was the sound of several owls hooting that made him think about his own. **_"Helios!" _**

Harry gave him a baffled look and Draco looked at him worriedly. **_"My owl! I'd totally forgotten about him!" _**

"Don't get so worked up Drake. I'm sure Nira or Let could find him for you," Harry reassured him, but he was still anxious. 

**_"I can't believe that I was thoughtless!" _**Draco groaned.

Harry wasn't certain if he should laugh but managed to keep his expression composed. However, he commented in a teasing tone, **_"But you are a Slytherin."_**

**_"That does not apply when it comes to personal possessions!" _**he protested. Harry laughed softly. Draco sighed and closed his eyes. _I just hope the bird is all right. _He felt the Gryffindor lean toward him and he hid a smile as Harry initiated the kiss. They ended it several minutes later, gasping for air. The emerald-eyed boy grinned and gave another peck on the Slytherin's broad, pale forehead. 

Draco blinked and managed to give his lover a flustered smile. In an almost regretful tone, he spoke, **_"You'd better get back to your bed. I am sure the Weasleys didn't place you in here. You're probably sharing a room with Weasley." _**

"Don't you think it's time you call your schoolmates by their first names? Well, I don't mean face to face if you're uneasy about it, but there are nine_… no, wait, Percy's moved out so he doesn't count…okay, _eight_ Weasleys here," _Harry suggested hopefully. 

**_"If you're insistent about it. But what about nicknames? I've always wanted to call Granger," _**Harry pinched him slightly, **_"I mean Hermione, 'Fairy'." _**His lover looked a little stunned. **_"What? You thought I couldn't think of decent call-names?" _**When Harry gave him a sheepish look, he smirked. 

**_"Why 'Fairy'?" _**

"Would you rather have me calling her 'Badger'?"

"I don't think so… what about Ron?" Harry asked suddenly. 

**_"Well, I admit it was rather hard thinking of something suitable… There was 'Boorish Ron', 'The Magnanimous Sidekick', 'Bamboo'…"_**

"Be serious!" Harry's frame was shaking with suppressed laughter. 

**_"If you really want to know… it's Ron…" _**

Harry looked a little disappointed but 'Ron' _was _a call-name and it was by far the simplest (and kindest) of what his siblings called him. **_"I guess I ought to return to where I should be. Can't have us spoiling a surprise for the household, can we?" _**

"Are you sure you really want them to know about us, Green-Eyes?" Draco was getting drowsy again but forced his eyes open to look at Harry.

**_"Not now, I suppose… but I do want them to know who my partner is…" _**

"May I point out to you that while telling them is easy, you might find their reactions too hot to handle?" Draco gave his lover a lop-sided smile. 

Harry bent down to kiss him again. When his lover pulled back, the green-eyed boy replied, **_"I won't be dealing with them alone, will I?" _**

"No, you won't," Draco agreed. His lover was just about to leave him when he tightened his grip on Harry's hand. The Gryffindor stared at him in surprise when Draco kissed his palm. **_"By the way, Green-Eyes, Happy Seventeenth Birthday."_**

**********

****

Later in the morning.

Harry finally woke up when Ron shook him tentatively. His best friend was smiling at him brightly. He realized that he had fallen asleep with his glasses on. _Why is he looking so happy?_

"Snape must be taking care of you really well mate!" Ron almost cheered. 

"What?" Harry was really confused and sat up on the bed, stretching his back.

"Well," Ron sat on the edge of the bed just as Ginny planted herself right beside Harry and gave him a hard squeeze in greeting. "You weren't as hesitant about sleeping in the same room with _any _of us and you forgot to cast Silencing Charms when you went to bed last night."

_I did? _"Oh…"

"Seems like you've been getting your beauty sleep!"

**_"Tell 'dear Ronniekins' that I said 'thank you'." _**Harry was hard-pressed keeping an impassive face at Draco's sudden insertion.

"I hope you are not getting as forgetful as Charlie, Harry," Ginny spoke brightly. 

"What has Charlie got to do with this?" Harry asked quizzically. 

"Well… actually… Nothing!" Ginny said cheerfully. "I just hope you won't forget things that are important to you. Forgetting to do something that is obviously routine indicates that there'll be drastic changes in your future," she said, flawlessly imitating Professor Trelawney.

"Don't get ominous now, Gin." Ron shook his head disapprovingly then smiled. "Back to Charlie, you won't believe it but he has actually forgotten to buy things for Mum on separate occasions when she sent him on errands," he said speculatively.

"Maybe he has a girlfriend or something," Harry said then wondered if he had said something wrong when Ron and Ginny looked at him peculiarly. To his relief, Ginny's eyes sparkled with mischief. 

"Well, _that_ did not occur to us… Maybe I should ask him while he's still home," Ginny rubbed her hands gleefully as she replied. Then she was off and both boys heard her heavy steps as she bounded off. 

"Is it just me, or is she acting really hyper?" 

"Must be Dora's influence," Ron answered in dismissive tone.

"Who's Dora? Wait! You don't mean Tonks, surely!" Harry exclaimed and Ron smirked.

"That's what she was tagged after she lost a bet to 'Mione." Ron had answered so proudly that Harry had to chuckle. The third member of the Trio had arrived at the Burrow eight days earlier since Mrs. Granger had thought it would be rather nice for herself and her husband to have a 'second' honeymoon. Mrs. Weasley had chuckled when Hermione showed up at the Weasleys, apprehension clear on her face as she explained the situation with a great deal of embarrassment. 

Mrs. Weasley had said, "Well, I could do with one myself, dear. Ginny really wants a sister," and she eyed Mr. Weasley in a contemplative manner. Charlie, who had been listening as he drank his coffee, spluttered all over the table. Mr. Weasley on the other hand, turned as red as a ripe tomato.

Harry shook off his thoughts of Hermione's account and got up to take his bath. Ron stopped him as he was halfway down to the bathroom. He gave an inquiring look and Ron dropped his voice to a whisper.

"Malfoy's already awake and he's downstairs with the rest of them. Dumbledore is here and he said that some people from the Ministry would be dropping by."

_What on earth for? _Harry frowned. He abruptly asked, "How's Draco behaving?"

**_"Was that deliberate, Green-Eyes? Or was it a slip of the tongue?" _**Draco asked sweetly and linked with Harry so that he could watch Ron's expression.

**_"Drake, it is confusing trying to talk to you and Ron at the same time," _**Harry said ruefully. He felt Draco's amusement carry over to him but his lover remained silent after that. 

"Malfoy? Yeah, he's been acting qu — _Draco_?" Ron gaped. Harry aimed a punch at his friend, who swiftly ducked.

"We'll be living together under one roof soon, Ron. I'm really getting tired of calling him Malfoy, and hearing everyone else too."

"What… you mean won't stay here? Until the eighteenth?"

"Yeah. I have some things I still need to learn from Sev… I mean Snape. Moreover, I have yet to pack the rest of my stuff. Somehow though, I have the feeling that I probably will end up here ahead of schedule."

"Have you done your homework?"

"Finished all of it about a week ago," Harry shrugged. "I will get to treat the stay here as a kind of vacation. Then I'll reimburse you for the conversations I owe you." 

"Oh yes, I am in total agreement on that and I speak on the behalf of all those living here at The Burrow," Ron replied firmly. "Getting back to the subject about Malf — I mean Drrrr —" His friend was unwilling to speak the name and a second later, Ron cursed. "As I was saying, the Slytherin was acting quite — "

**_"Well and polite," _**Draco supplied and Harry sighed.

"— Weird is the word, I guess. He's so… well… well behaved and polite… Mum offered to give him some of Bill's clothes but he declined in a fairly civil manner. Bloody hell! Did you hear me speak, Harry? I must be going mental 'cause I'm beginning to speak like him!" Ron was outraged. Harry couldn't help himself from laughing openly.

**********

****

At the same time that Ron was complaining. 

Draco had stopped eating the pancakes Mrs. Weasley had prepared and was delighting at making Ron suffer, though indirectly. Since he was slightly unfocused as he watched through Harry's eyes, he was unaware that Hermione and Ginny were examining him closely. Snape was watching _them_ as he read the _Daily Prophet. _So far, the media was unaware of the Dark Lord's latest appearance in Wiltshire. 

A small choking sound caught his attention and his black eyes swept the bright dining area for the source. _So, it's not Granger or the Weasley girl… _Snape deduced from the baffled looks of the two girls. Soft laughter met his ears and it turned out to be Draco. The Potions Master studied his student in amusement and his eyes drifted to the Headmaster. Dumbledore looked very pleased with himself.

Hermione's eyes had gone as wide as a Galleon and Ginny looked stunned. The older girl leaned in to whisper, "I think that our stay in your home is beginning to get very interesting." Ginny nodded distractedly as she watched the Slytherin laugh.

********** 

****

Two in the afternoon.

The occupants of The Burrow — minus the working adults (with the exceptions of Dumbledore, Mrs. Weasley, Charlie and Snape) — had just finished lunch when Hermione's clock struck two. Draco had been silent ever since Harry had come down to join the rest of his friends. The Slytherin only spoke when he was spoken to and his answers were short and to the point. Draco had silently confided to Harry that he truly felt awkward being with his distant cousins and he was unsure of how to act around them. Harry had curiously asked his lover why he felt that he couldn't act like his usual bratty self. He had not expected Draco to glare at him during their lunch because of his question. After several minutes of thinking, Harry knew the reason for his lover's displeasure and dropped the subject. It had been twenty minutes of extreme tension with Draco glaring at his secret lover and Harry lost in contemplation. It was only when Hermione chose to stamp down on Harry's foot that the uneasiness was broken.

"Come, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione spoke up brightly after a few moments of exchanging mute signals with Ginny. "I'll help you with the dishes," she offered.

"All right then," Mrs. Weasley answered with a smile. "Girls, let's go to work!" 

Five minutes later, all the dishes on the table were cleared and deposited into the sink. Nira popped up after them and joined the other women in the task.

"Efficient," Snape commented and returned his attention to the newspaper. 

**_"It's funny how all of them seem to have forgotten your birthday," _**Draco commented as he traced over the bandages through his sleeve.

**_"Hmmm… maybe it's because we haven't heard the bad news yet?" _**Harry reasoned and Draco shrugged. His action became the focus of curiosity for Dumbledore, Charlie and Ron. 

Snape added to the confusion when he spoke without looking up from the _Daily Prophet._ "Would the two of you stop that?" 

**_"Blessed Rhiannon! He can't hear us, can he?" _**Draco's eyes were wide.

Harry turned to look at his godfather with a raised eyebrow. He then exchanged a baffled look — feigned of course — with Ron. 

**__**

"I doubt it, Drake," Harry answered and looked into the Slytherin's silver eyes while suppressing a smile. He didn't have to worry about that when he heard several cracks outside of The Burrow. Mrs. Weasley left the rest of the washing to Nira as she followed Hermione and Ginny back to the group now standing a little bit away from the table.

Draco looked resigned as all of them waited for the Minister and his people to enter the house. "It shall be interesting to hear what the Minister has to say about the son of Voldemort's right-hand wizard." Snape and Dumbledore gave him similarly speculative looks, Charlie looked a little nonplussed and Mrs. Weasley had turned paled at Draco's direct reference to the Dark Lord. However, it was the reactions of Harry's friends that tickled him most. Ginny was imitating a goldfish quite remarkably, Ron certainly looked clueless, and Hermione had gone a little cross-eyed. 

**_"Was it something that I said?" _**Draco asked innocently and Harry snorted in reply.

"Professor Lupin!" Ginny squealed in delight when the D.A.D.A teacher appeared. 

"There's no need to be so formal, Ginny," Lupin smiled as he spoke. "I'm here for pleasure, not some sort of business."

Harry scowled. "But we heard more of them Apparating in…"

Lupin shrugged. "The Minister and some of his fellows arrived at the same time I did. They're waiting for one of you to invite them in."

"Hmmmm… Why don't we make them wait outside?" Draco suggested lightly and Ron looked furiously at him.

"I don't think you're in any position to speak, Malfoy. For all we know, it may be illegal for us to give you sanctuary."

"You have a point." 

"Maybe I should go out there…" Mrs. Weasley began in a preoccupied manner.

"No, I'll do it," Charlie said and moved off to invite Fudge and his lackeys in.

"Too bad Kingsley wasn't among them," Lupin said lightly.

"It is better that way. Cornelius is more than determined to expose the Order," Dumbledore idly scratched his beard as he spoke. 

"Just what is his problem anyway?" Ron muttered, rolling up his sleeves absently.

"He's nervous," Draco replied. All of them looked curiously at him. "Since the incident in that… whatever department when _he _lost his first godfather, the Minister's popularity has diminished. There were even rumors about mutinies in the Ministry because of that." Draco shrugged indifferently. 

"Very shrewd, young Draco." Dumbledore nodded his approval. 

"He is a Slytherin."

"Yes, I know that Severus."

"Then again, someone who has been idle for the past few weeks ought to have thought of something to pass the time. The Minister's current problems are not _that_ secretive," Snape said in a disparaging tone.

"Professor!" Draco was shocked. Snape smirked. 

**_"Fine! I'm not even going to speak to him after this!" _**Draco sulked and Harry chuckled. Draco glared at him again.

Charlie was looking very furious as he herded Fudge and some others, all of them wizards, into the area where the rest were congregated. The Minister was looking very, very displeased. 

"Oh no…" Ginny groaned when she saw a weedy and frail-looking wizard looking suspiciously at every object in sight. 

"Trouble?" Harry inquired softly. 

"They had better not think of taking _my _clock off the wall," Hermione mumbled darkly. 

**_"Are the three of you speaking in some sort of code-language?" _**Draco's tone indicated that he was sorely puzzled, no longer staring at Harry. 

**_"You know that Mr. Weasley loves Muggle things right?"_**

"Oh… Do you mean that those are modified Muggle things inside those boxes over there?" Draco pointed his chin at the brown and gray boxes stacked in one corner of the room, just by the staircase leading up to the bedrooms. 

Ron was suspicious after having caught Harry and Draco staring at each other several times over the past few hours. When he saw the Slytherin point his chin at the boxes where his father kept most of the Muggle stuff he experimented on, and then heard Harry asking Ginny about the contents of the boxes, his uneasiness that something was happening between his friend and the Slytherin increased. 

"What's gotten you angry?" Ron asked his shorter, older brother.

Charlie was fuming like one of his dragons. He gave Mrs. Weasley a sidelong look then mouthed to Ron, "Later." Whatever it was, Ron reckoned that it must be a sensitive issue since he had indicated that their mother shouldn't know about it.

Draco was very thoughtful as he carefully watched the wizard that Ginny had pointed out. The small wizard had broken off from the main group to approach the stack of boxes. _I guess this ought to keep him at bay…_

"Let… Nira…" he muttered their names softly. His helpers appeared behind him; they were effectively screened from sight by the bodies of Charlie and Lupin. The latter exchanged an amused look with Harry. 

"Make sure that that wizard over there doesn't get close to the boxes." His two house-elves disappeared. 

"Minister Fudge," Dumbledore greeted politely. 

**__**

"Has he always resembled a suckling pig?" Drake asked, examining the Minister from head to toe. This was the first time that he was able to see Fudge at close range. 

**__**

"He does look as if he's gained a few pounds, doesn't he?" Harry agreed. 

"Professor Dumbledore, may I ask why you did not inform the Ministry of… of… You-Know-Who's whereabouts? And his Death Eaters?" Fudge demanded angrily.

"Just what will you do with them when you meet them face to face, Minister Fudge?" Snape stepped in. 

"They will be sentenced to receive the Dementor's Kiss of course!" 

"The Dementors are back under the Ministry's control?" Harry asked, scowling openly. 

"They are very useful beings Mr. Potter," one of the wizards accompanying Fudge said stiffly.

"They never learn, do they?" Draco's voice was flat. 

"How can you say that?!" Mrs. Weasley suddenly gasped. Her children thought she was referring to Draco's statement but when they looked at her, they saw her giving Fudge a disgusted look. "They're… They're… hideous things!"

"Mr. Malfoy — " Fudge's voice was severely cut off by Draco himself.

"I doubt that I am still a Malfoy after two nights ago, Minister."

"According to the laws of the Ministry, young man," the same wizard who had spoken up earlier interjected. "You are to be placed under the guardianship of your relatives."

"Most of whom are in hiding or with Voldemort." 

"Then you will be placed in Madam Kathija's Orphanage in Ireland."

"That's crap! Draco's our cousin and he _is _with _his _relatives," Ginny shot back angrily. Draco jumped back slightly in surprise, nearly tripping over Lupin's foot but one of the professor's hands managed to steady him. Ginny was continuing her protest. "Or do you want us to call Tonks for reinforcement?"

"Miss Weasley, this wizard is a danger to _our _community living in this village," another wizard spoke up in a gentle tone. 

"And how is he a danger to us?" Harry inquired, emerald eyes boring fiercely into Fudge's. 

"For all we know, he has the Dark Mark! He is probably under the Imperius Curse!" Fudge was shouting so loudly that his voice reverberated through the walls of the house. His shouting had also drowned out five simultaneous cracks; Tonks had Apparated together with Bill, the twins and Mr. Weasley. 

The air about Mrs. Weasley was electrified. "THE BOY HAS NO DARK MARK!!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. 

"What Dark Mark?" Fred had just come in to hear his mother's shout. Ginny caught his eye and she began rolling up her left sleeve, pointed at it before pointing her finger at Draco. 

"The brat you mean?" George asked as he came through holding up a very large brown grocery bag. "Don't be ridiculous. If he had been put through the initiation, I don't think he would have survived it."

"Anyway," Fred continued, "Mum helped the healer to wrap him up and I was there as they worked on him. There were no marks anywhere on him except for a bracelet."

"Aha!"

"The bracelet was from me. Don't get excited." Incredibly, Harry's friends didn't really pay attention to what he said.

**__**

"You are going to get into trouble with this one, Harry."

"So? I always get away from him, don't I?"

"Huh… You can say that when you were nearly expelled two years ago?"

"Oh! You're up already small cuz!" Tonks pushed Fred slightly; she herself was carrying a large black bag. 

"Yes, I'm up already big cousin," Draco answered emotionlessly.

**__**

"Where did that come from, Drake?" Harry asked in amusement.

**__**

"Shut up." 

The rest of them came in and joined the group to stare at the Minister and his employees. Despite Draco's house-elves, the small wizard that had been trying to get closer to the boxes finally achieved his goal. Mrs. Weasley shot an angry look at her husband but all Mr. Weasley managed to do was give her a tremulous smile. Ginny and Hermione held their breaths in apprehension. The twins maneuvered themselves so that Fred was standing in between Harry and Draco and George was standing in between Harry and Ron. The twins whispered into Harry's ear at the same time, "Watch this, Harry."

"What are the two of you up to?" Ron whispered.

"Just watch Ronniekins. You'll love it," George asserted.

Dumbledore, flanked by Snape, Tonks and Mrs. Weasley approached Fudge slowly. The Minister backed up a step and became more wary when Dumbledore smiled at him. 

"I think Draco will be under the guardianship of the Weasleys from now on. With so many people keeping an eye on the young Slytherin, I doubt he could get into any mischief. The Weasley twins will ensure that, I think." Dumbledore was looking expectantly at the wizard who had opened a box. 

"What in the — " 

They heard a strange ticking sound. 

"Mr. Regan. Please come back here," the wizard with the gentle voice spoke up almost desperately. He blanched when the wizard called Regan placed his hand inside the box. Evidently, it was a mistake to have done so because ear-deafening explosions and huge volumes of smoke erupted from inside the box. 

The twins snickered as Fudge and the rest of his wizards rushed to Regan. When the smoke cleared, Ginny giggled as Regan was helped into a standing position. The nearly bald wizard of a few minutes ago now possessed extremely long blond curls that would cause even Rapunzel to be envious. Even Draco was smiling slightly at the sight. 

"Just how many boxes went off?" George fretted as his eyes took in the length of the stupendous hair. His twin ignored the Ministry's personnel and checked the contents of the boxes warily, readily armed with his wand. 

"Seems like he triggered the entire carton. That means twenty-five packages times four hours," Fred informed his brother.

"So twenty-five times four and then times eight centimeters… " George looked at Hermione for help.

"Eight hundred," she supplied, trying to keep herself from smiling.

"So the wizard now has an additional hair length of eight meters. Eight hundred divided by sixty minutes?" 

"Approximately thirteen…"

"Well…" Fred looked a little apologetic as he faced the wizard. "The hair won't disappear for another thirteen hours and I don't recommend you color or cut it." Regan looked mortified. 

"I'll sue you!"

"You'll sue _us_?!" Fred asked angrily.

"We'll sue you for breaching our PROPERTY!" George railed. 

"Plus for the damage of packaged joke merchandise which was ready for the market," Bill added shrewdly.

"I am sure there is no need for us to take any legal actions Misters Weasley. I think our business here is done. I am not really clear why Minister Fudge summoned an escort to come here with him so that he could pursue his personal goals," the wizard with the kind voice said and reinforced his statement with a steely look. 

Fudge and his wizards went off several minutes later. One of them had to get a Portkey before they could leave because Regan couldn't stand on his own under the weight of the long bundle of hair. Ron cornered the twins, accompanied by the rest of their siblings. Harry and Draco watched with interest. 

"All right. What happened to Dad's stuff?" Ron crossed his arms and looked down at Fred and George who were surveying their damaged goods. 

"We knew that Fudge would be coming here sooner or later. But Dad, you do have to get some place to keep those telephones and God knows what else. So anyway, George did a little late night switching yesterday," Fred told them. Then he looked at the rest of them. "Please… DO NOT OPEN ANY OF THEM UP!" 

"Who would want to?" Ginny scoffed. 

**********

**__**

Firesword: Do you guys like this chapter? Up next, will be Harry's birthday celebration… What could possibly happen then? I had a fun time writing Chapter 11, it's still with my betas though…


	11. The Birthday Surprise?

**Firesword: **I would like to make some acknowledgments first. Thanks to Allexandrya for suggesting Sirius's Pensieve for a birthday gift, thanks to Ipo a.k.a. Hogwarts Hag for letting me use this phrase: _'Sev is likely to curse you into the next decade'_! And thanks to the both of my beta readers for putting up with me! And not forgetting the author who created the world of Harry Potter for giving me inspiration (it has something to do with photographs. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, page 82)! 

****

~ Chapter 11: The Birthday Surprise? ~ 

****

In The Burrow. Quarter 'til six.

Hermione was busy helping the twins cast several protection spells on their boxes of merchandise to prevent future mishaps and Mr. Weasley had gone off to the twins' shed to check on his Muggle objects. Meanwhile, Bill, Ginny and Lupin were helping Mrs. Weasley carry the food that she had prepared as soon as the people from the Ministry had left. 

Charlie, with Dumbledore's help, had conjured two huge tables and set them in the middle of the yard. A good breeze was blowing things in all directions and Ron was having trouble laying out the tablecloth. Snape suppressed a moan of irritation but his scowling face showed just how aggravated he was. 

"Don't," Lupin whispered to Ginny and Bill and stopped them before they could call out to their sibling. He shook his head and jerked his chin in Snape's direction. 

"But Ron's our brother!" Ginny protested softly but Lupin was firm. Not a moment later, they saw Snape pulling his wand out from his pocket and the checked blue and white cloth was immediately yanked out of Ron's hand. 

"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled. His expression was puzzled as he tried to figure out what had just happened. 

Snape stalked around the Weasley and with a nasty sneer, spoke in a superior manner, "This is how it is done, Mr. Weasley." 

"Hello, why are you blocking the doorway?" Hermione piped up curiously from behind Lupin. 

"Professor Snape is _demonstrating_ how Ron should cover the table," Ginny spoke distastefully. Hermione raised an eyebrow and the youngest of the Weasley siblings stepped aside. The older girl looked curiously at her boyfriend who was looking back sulkily at the Potions Master. 

"Why does he insist on sneering?" Hermione asked with amusement clear in her voice and to her surprise, Lupin answered. 

"Because it makes him feel good that he is knowledgeable?" the Defence professor replied dubiously. 

"You don't sound convincing at all, Remus," Bill said lightly. 

"I know…" Lupin sighed. They continued to watch the show between Hermione's boyfriend and Harry's godfather. Somewhat involuntarily, the girl's eyes searched for Draco and Harry. The Slytherin was standing off at the far end of the yard but she was unable to make out his expression since he was too far away. One thing was sure; his eyes were not on his favorite teacher. Harry on the other hand, was staring at Snape with a combination of helplessness, exasperation and amusement. 

"Why didn't Ron just conjure the tablecloth on the tables?" Hermione wondered. 

"Beats me." Ginny shrugged. 

In one graceful move, Snape had covered the table and charmed the tablecloth so that it wouldn't fly in the breeze. 

"He has a point," Hermione remarked. 

"Seems like he's just hinted to Ron that most things can be done easier with magic than to do it otherwise," Bill observed. 

"But does he have to be so mean about it?" Ginny complained as she watched Ron turning red in the face and ears. Snape was standing next to Draco and both were smirking nastily in the Weasley's direction. 

"Do you think it's safe for us to place the dishes on the table?" Bill asked and Lupin shrugged before he set off for the table himself. 

"Don't feel so bad, Ron," the D.A.D.A professor said lightly. 

"He made me look like a fool," Ron groaned and cursed softly under his breath when he saw Hermione looking at him sympathetically. "And in front of 'Mione too!" 

**__**

"'Mione?" Drake turned his head slightly and watched his lover. 

**__**

"That is her call-name. Ron was the one who gave it to her." Harry explained and smiled. _It_ did not escape Ron's eyes this time. "Sev, we all know that you are highly intelligent and resourceful so you don't have to show off," Harry spoke to his godfather firmly. 

"Are you really that desperate to die?" Draco asked, his voice devoid of any malice and full of curiosity. 

"Might I choose this moment to remind you of the fact that two Slytherins are seriously outnumbered by Gryffindors in this compound?" Lupin asked, watching Snape and Draco with crossed arms. 

"Here now, this is not the time to have a brawl, laddies!" Tonks appeared holding a tray of cutlery. 

"Brawl?" Lupin looked innocently at her. "Who said we were thinking of brawling?" 

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes sarcastically. She suddenly lost her footing and Snape managed to catch her in his arms, preventing any harm from coming to the young Auror. Draco managed to catch the tray. "Oops…" Tonks gasped. "Thanks," she mumbled. Draco calmly set the cutlery holder on the table. He examined the scene in front of him, pouting slightly, and his fingers wandered to the pocket along his thigh. 

"Don't even think about it," Harry said in a warning tone, looking at Draco with narrowed eyes. 

"What?" Draco feigned a confused look. 

"Don't worry. I'm good enough to conjure several chairs," Dumbledore told Harry and the boy smiled gratefully. Without being told, Bill, Charlie and Ron went back into The Burrow to retrieve any available chairs. By that time, the twins had joined them in the task. 

When Ron returned to the yard, he saw Hermione chatting avidly with Lupin and Snape but the latter seemed to be more intent in studying the brown-haired professor. In any case, Ron noted that Snape's eyes strayed to focus on Lupin. There were already nine chairs arranged and Ron added his, purposely going over to the side where Harry and Draco were. He took the opportunity to eavesdrop. 

"Oi Ron!" George yelled from the back door. 

"What?" Ron shouted back in an annoyed tone. He squinted his eyes to see his brother. 

"How many more chairs do we need?" 

Ron quickly calculated the value in his head. "Five more!" He watched George turn his head. 

"Five!!!" George shouted. Bill, who was somewhere in the house, responded with a yell, 

"All right! Come back here and carry one of the chairs!" 

George went back into the house. Hermione smiled brightly at Lupin and pulled Ginny with her as she approached Ron. She was about to call Harry but stopped when she saw that her friend was frowning hard at Draco. Ron looked at Harry suspiciously since Draco was giving his raven-haired friend a challenging look. 

"Just stop it, Draco. For your information, the healer told us to mention it to you that you shouldn't be using magic. Not until you've fully recovered," Harry spoke impassively. 

"Ooopsie..." Ginny exchanged a guilty look with Hermione and she moved to stand closer to the prefect. "How come nobody said anything about it during breakfast?" she whispered. 

"Probably because we were so keen on pretending that he was not really there with us?" Hermione whispered back. 

"And how do I know if I'm fully recovered? Will the healer be coming again?" Draco asked icily. "Will I have to pay for her service?" 

"You're being annoying. If you're broke just say it," Harry said tiredly. Draco's expression changed. 

"Maybe you ought to learn how to be more subtle," the Slytherin answered softly and then he added, "Harry." Draco then turned and began to wander about the yard, giving his back to the Gryffindors. 

"Harry, you hurt his feelings," Hermione accused. 

"More like his ego," Ginny muttered. 

Ron finally got an idea of what was going through the Slytherin's mind. The realization that Draco might be bitter about his current circumstances just about ruined his appetite. _Hang on… _Ron analyzed his thoughts. _Why am I thinking as if he deserves sympathy? _His eyes settled on Draco who had sat on the ground facing in the direction of a clump of trees screening The Burrow from their neighbors. The Slytherin was unbuttoning his shirt and rolling up his sleeves. His silky blond hair flew with the breeze and glittered in the afternoon sunlight. 

__

So does that mean Malfoy really has been a victim of his family's doings? Ron ran his fingers through his hair as he pondered. _Nah… it can't be true…_ Then he remembered Dumbledore's words. 

__

"It has come to my knowledge that Draco Malfoy is no longer tolerant of his parents or the companionship of certain students in Hogwarts." 

Ron gave an inaudible sigh. _Dumbledore trusts him. Bloody hell… _He found himself staring into the Headmaster's eyes. _And he is smiling… I wonder if he knows what I am thinking. _Blue eyes twinkled back at him and shivering slightly, Ron looked back to where Draco was sitting. _That reminds me… I have a bone to pick with my best mate… Considering how he's been acting funny toward Malfoy… _A sudden movement jerked his attention away from his thoughts and the words spilled from his mouth. 

"Harry, where are you going?" Ron inquired, watching his friend bite his lip thoughtfully. 

"I think I might have been too straightforward just now," Harry mumbled. 

"You were," Ginny and Hermione answered at the same time. 

"So?"came the unconcerned respond from Ron. 

"I have to apologize to him," Harry explained, green eyes darkening with guilt. 

**********

__

Why does everything I say turn out so bloody wrong? Harry moaned, staring off in his lover's direction. "I have to apologize to him," he answered his friend's question. 

**__**

"You might as well apologize to me from where you are standing," Draco's thought reached him and Harry coughed suddenly. 

__

Bloody hell… I wasn't thinking about it that intensely… **"Were you listening to me? To my thoughts?" **he asked nervously. 

Draco snorted in the distance, making the four studying him suddenly jerk in surprise. **_"No, you dimwit… The wind was blowing your voices in my direction. Still is in fact…"_**

"He looks gorgeous like that," Ginny remarked, causing Ron to get agitated. He nearly exploded when Hermione agreed with her observation. Harry felt a little nervous at the way Ginny was eyeing Draco but clamped his mouth shut when she _skipped_ to join the Slytherin. 

"_GINNY!" _Ron gave a strangled hiss. "Don't you dare flirt!" 

"You worry too much, Ronniekins. He won't even give a thought about me that way," Ginny replied, totally ignoring her friends as she went to sit beside Draco uninvited. 

**__**

"What was that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded. 

**__**

"How in Merlin's name am I supposed to know? She couldn't possibly mean that she knows I have a liking for males, right?" Draco's reply was full of amusement. 

"The situation revolving about _him_ isn't getting any better, is it?" Hermione asked almost to herself and Harry forced his eyes to focus on Ron's purpling face. 

"You should try to control your temper, Ron," Harry said in a teasing manner. "You usually don't lose it that easily." 

"Entirely depends on what I'm angry about, Harry," Ron grated, looking as if he very much wanted to jump down Draco's throat. 

"I know you won't like the fact that I _am_ trying to be friends with him — " Ron quickly cut him off. 

"You don't mean that!" His friend looked horrified and Hermione quickly pinched her boyfriend in disapproval. 

**__**

"Well… it seems like you will have a hard time trying get him to see your side if he ever learns that you're mine…" Draco mused. 

**__**

"Don't remind me…" Harry groaned. "Ron, he isn't as bad as we thought him to be..." 

"How would you know?" Ron argued. "Dumbledore told us that _you_ told him that _he_ can be trusted. How can you be so sure?" 

Harry's mouth went dry. His friend had given him an opening but how was he to explain why he made the bracelet? He thought quickly, trying to think of a reason that would ease his friend's suspicions. 

"Because my heart tells me so. Wait, Ron," Harry had to quickly calm his friend, "listen to me first. I am an Empath. It is hard to explain why I trust him but he _is_ safe." 

The look Ron gave him was skeptical. "Empath? Isn't that someone who can tell or feel what somebody else is feeling? Prove it." 

Harry looked thoughtfully at him. "Well, you're irritated and annoyed at Draco being an 'extra mouth' to feed, considering that he is… suspended from family ties. But there's another part of you that sympathizes with him since you know just how it feels when you don't have any money." He paused and studied Hermione's mystified expression. Ron was fidgeting and his face betrayed his anxiousness. "You are also thinking that my behavior lately," Harry stared at Draco for emphasis, "has been weird." 

"Blimey…" Ron gulped. "You _are _weird." 

**__**

"Empath?" Draco's thought in Harry's mind was soft. **_"Well, why didn't you think about examining _my _feelings before you shouted out the fact that I haven't got a Knut to my name? The thought that I have to depend on any of you to buy my school things is choking me and making me worry so much that I feel as if my heart has been encased in several layers of stone!"_**

"Bloody damn Slytherin…" Harry muttered and marched off to Draco's side. 

"You know what 'Mione?" Ron began and looked deeply into his girlfriend's eyes. "I think he is keeping something from us. When he thinks no one is looking at him, I swear that he is staring at Malfoy. It really feels as if they have some way of secretly speaking to each other…" 

Harry ignored Ginny's inquisitive look as he sat down. The girl was playing with a stalk of love grass that she had pulled out from the ground. Draco copied her actions. Harry stared at her unwaveringly for nearly five minutes before she moved off, grumbling under her breath. She stayed near however, probably listening in on behalf of her friends. "Look," Harry said harshly, "Draco, I'm sorry that I've been insensitive about your situation. Whatever you need now, will come from me. And button up your shirt." 

The Slytherin was silent for several minutes but finally gave a faint smile. His face still showed signs that he was worried. "Do I really have to?" 

**__**

"Drake, don't worry about the money," Harry tried to coax him. 

"I know but it still troubles me so forget about trying to make me feel better," Draco said. "I don't know which is worse: borrowing money from you or trying to get your godfather's protection." Then in a softer voice, "Why have you placed me with them?" He switched to a more private manner of conversation. **_"Why, knowing that this arrangement is more than likely to trouble my conscience?"_**

**__**

"Because they are a surrogate family for me, Drake, since before even Sirius or Sev came into my life. You will be much safer here and they can keep you company. They wouldn't restrict you from going anywhere unless you break the rules made by Mrs. Weasley…" 

**__**

"I'll stop arguing, Green-Eyes. You seem to have reasons for everything…" Draco made a face. 

"Harry! Draco!" Mrs. Weasley called out loudly. "Go in and wash your hands! Dinner's ready!" They turned at the same time at the sound of her voice. She was busy arranging more dishes on the table and most of the adults were already seated. 

"Say 'cheese'!" 

Before the two could react, there was a bright flash of white. Both of them stared dazedly at a broadly grinning Bill. He was holding onto Hermione's camera. 

"He did not take my picture…" Draco squeaked. 

"My brother sure did," Ginny asserted, smiling wickedly. 

"Not in bandages!" Draco looked stunned as he was pulled up to his feet by Fred and was pushed toward the direction of the house. 

"No need to go back," George said to his twin. "There's a flask for washing your hands on the table." 

"Go on," Fred said to Draco. "Don't keep our mom waiting! Oh! You might want to button up your shirt before you get there." 

"It's bloody hot wearing a long-sleeved shirt and being wrapped in with three centimeters worth of thick bandaging," the Slytherin muttered darkly and made no move to do as Harry and Fred had requested. 

"Give him several weeks with us and we'll bloody well convert him," George said teasingly. 

"I wish you bad luck then." Draco's usually pale face had a red tinge and he was very flustered by the time he reached the table. Once his hands were washed, Mrs. Weasley directed him to sit in between Snape and Lupin. Harry was next and he was seated directly across from his lover. As usual, he was flanked by Hermione and Ron. 

Nearly an hour later, their dinner was coming to an end. The sky darkened steadily and each of them conjured a floating candle above their heads. Even with the candles, the lighting was dim until small globes of bluish white _and_ soft gold appeared overhead. 

**__**

"Drake, I told you not to spend your magical energy carelessly," Harry's thought was stern as he glared at his lover. 

"It's your birthday," Draco replied verbally and slowly sipped his drink. 

"I do not understand what just happened," Ron muttered under his breath. His puzzlement was shared by his girlfriend and siblings. Lupin cautiously tipped his chair back and reached out a hand to tap at Snape's back. 

"Is there something going on between these two kids that we ought to know about?" Lupin whispered. 

"Be careful, Remus. My student might decide you are being too nosy and move his chair back suddenly. You might break your nose," Snape replied impassively, his black eyes rested on Lupin's face for a moment. The Potions Master then focused his attention on his cup and Hermione giggled as she alternately studied the Slytherins. Lupin nearly toppled backwards and would have had Draco not casually placed his hand behind the chair. There was a strange gleam in Draco's eyes and Hermione informed Harry of her observation. 

**__**

"What are you up to?" Harry asked in a suspicious tone. 

**__**

"I'm in the mood to exchange some information and get some tidbits out from the two sitting beside me," Draco answered with a smile. 

"Did the Cruciatus Curse affect him all that much, Harry? He must be mental if he is smiling at you," Ron whispered. Harry just shrugged. 

**__**

"I see… Do you think you can manage it? Sev's a tough nut…" Harry masked his own smile by eating more of the potato mash. 

**__**

"I'm working on Lupin first… So, it seems that you are as interested in their progress as I am," Draco's smile widened. **_"I guess this will be your first birthday present of the day."_**

**__**

"I thought the kiss was?" Harry blinked his eyes once and Draco chuckled. 

"Perhaps the two of you should inform the Weasleys of what has been happening." Dumbledore interrupted. Draco and Harry stared long at each other. 

Still smiling, the Slytherin answered, "We'll get to it later…" 

"We must warn you not to take your time however," Fred spoke and all the Weasleys nodded, although Ron had a look on his face that said _'Why not now?'_. Conversation resumed and Harry decided to distract the Weasleys' attention by telling them what had actually happened during his previous duel with Voldemort at Hogwarts. 

**********

Draco smiled at Harry's diversion. In the back of his mind, he worried about how he was going to spend the rest of his holiday in The Burrow despite the fact that Harry would be with him later in the summer. _It's a good thing that Let successfully managed to collect my belongings. _His thoughts were focused on his clothes. _A good thing that I have only two black shirts or I'd probably be cooked if the weather turns unbearable. _He sighed soundlessly and fretted about his owl. _I hope he has sheltered somewhere safe._

"It's almost gone now," Harry was saying and Draco focused on his words. "If my sensitivity to magic was as intense now as it had been several months ago, I would probably be comatose." 

**__**

"Don't you think you're exaggerating, Green-Eyes?" Draco asked, trying not to laugh. 

**__**

"Do you think so?" Harry's eyes swiftly returned to focus on him. The rest followed his gaze and Draco felt suddenly uncomfortable with so many eyes on him. Draco scratched his chin thoughtfully. 

"No, I don't think so," he answered aloud, much to the surprise of the Gryffindors. For some reason, he liked to see the stunned expression on their faces. 

"You're an annoying brat," Snape spoke softly. 

"Nothing new about that," Draco shrugged as he answered. "However, I don't think that tolerating the magic of others is the problem." Harry raised an eyebrow. "It's your own magic that will probably blind you." 

"Because he is stronger?" Dumbledore asked and Draco nodded. 

"But also because he has the tendency to be creative in his spellcasting," Draco added, making Dumbledore smile. 

"What on earth is the git talking about?" moaned Ron and Hermione slapped him lightly on the thigh. 

"Harry, Draco is actually commenting about wandless magic, isn't he?" Hermione asked curiously and didn't look surprised when her friend nodded. "Magic of old…" her voice trailed off as she pondered. 

Draco watched as his lover steered their attention away from him again, this time telling them how he came to be Snape's godson without too much embellishment. That left the Slytherin free to focus his attention on the D.A.D.A. professor. _Damn…_ Brown eyes stared deeply into his and Lupin leaned toward him. 

"What exactly is going on between you and Harry?" the older wizard's whisper was barely audible and Draco doubted that Snape could hear him. 

"Probably the same thing that is going on between you and a certain bitter Slytherin?" Draco answered softly. "Although I think that Green-Eyes and I are making much more progress than the two of you." 

**__**

"Drake! That's really mean!" 

**__**

"Sorry Green-Eyes, but I think being a Slytherin allows me to be mean," Draco replied and winked at Harry who was trying not to laugh. He whispered again to Lupin, "You know, Dumbledore really did try to arrange it so you could be within reach of the somber-faced person beside me. Since Harry will be staying here without _'Sev'_ looking over his shoulder, maybe you could ask Dumbledore to give the two of you a job that requires pair work or something." Draco smirked at the professor's incredulous expression. 

"You're joking," Lupin said in a strangled voice. "I mean… you and Harry…" 

"If you're doubtful, something will make it very clear later tonight," Draco reassured him. _Bloody hell. Since when have I ever given a damn about instincts and intuition? Maybe this reaction is Harry's doing…_ "Now, about you and Harry's godfather, don't pay attention to Sev's surliness. He misses you. Well… that's what I commented to Harry about three nights ago." 

"Hello, you two!" Ginny called out in an exasperated voice. "Remus! You weren't even paying attention to what Harry was saying!" 

"It's all right. Severus told me about it several weeks ago," Lupin said lightly, ignoring the scowl from the Potions Master. 

"On to first names now, are we?" 

"Might as well," Lupin answered. Snape glared at the students but both Harry and Draco chuckled. The Potions Master wouldn't have _his_ way while he was at The Burrow. 

"Hey Draco," Fred called. He seemed comfortable calling the Slytherin by his first name. The silver-eyed boy looked at the twin curiously. "I saw that you have a bracelet on your arm. If you were to sell it in Diagon Alley, I think it could fetch you more than a thousand Galleons. The bracelet was exquisitely done and the fact that it has magic as well — " Fred immediately stopped talking when the Slytherin's eyes flashed dangerously. 

The color drained from Draco's face and he suddenly felt angry. _Sell it?! _Another part of his mind said that it was not a bad idea. He took a deep breath. "Is that so?" he asked in an icy tone, looking only at Fred. 

**__**

"Drake…" 

"It's a little sad that I can't take it off. It won't come off no matter what I do. Of course, the idea of cutting my arm is just a trifle daunting," his voice was flat and unfriendly. "Harry there offered me his protection and this bracelet is what saved me from most of the Curse. It kept me sane while I was in the Manor, and it has also kept me from burning myself alive." 

No one spoke for a long moment. Hermione finally broke it by asking Harry. "You made the bracelet for _him_? Why?" 

"Because he is important to us," Harry answered wearily. "The unification of Hogwarts won't happen if we don't have a Slytherin student, someone who can influence the rest of the House. If not Draco, Blaise Zabini was the other possible choice." 

"And it was also made because I wanted him to be protected," Dumbledore said softly. "I just hope that young Draco here does not feel as if he has been used only to gain information about the other side." 

"Don't worry sir. The idea that I had been a pawn did not even cross my mind," Draco answered impassively. 

"It's a gift," Mr. Weasley spoke. "You shouldn't even consider selling something that has been given to you." 

Draco smiled faintly. **_"Obviously. It's the first time I have ever received something handmade and precious from a lover."_**

**__**

"You're quite intimidating when you're angry," Harry commented. 

"How does the… protection… thingy work?" Hermione asked again. 

"I can just tell him I'm in trouble," Draco replied shortly. 

"You mean you can talk to each other?" Lupin's voice was hushed. Harry and Draco nodded. The professor blinked. Before he could ask Draco again, Snape spoke up. 

"Don't bother questioning them, Remus. They have been at it ever since the holidays started." 

"Harry," Ron tapped his friend's shoulder, "you're in trouble." 

"Draco," Ginny began, "this morning… you were laughing…" 

"Yes, I was reporting to Harry that I was polite to your mother when she asked if I needed any clothes. However, my house-elves had already brought my trunks in. Your brother described my behavior quite accurately," he answered, smirking at Ron. 

"Someday, you and I will have a brawl," Ron spoke to the air. "No doubt about it." 

"Not if I can help it," Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione and Harry spoke at once. 

"I think we should lighten up the mood," Dumbledore spoke. "We all are gathered here for one reason." He stood up and the rest followed. Draco was the last to stand. Dumbledore started singing a birthday song but Snape and Draco remained silent. 

"This is ridiculous," Snape muttered. 

"I'm in full agreement," Draco mumbled, feeling very inept. 

"Should we take pity on them and excuse them from their unwillingness to participate?" Ginny wondered aloud. 

"It is up to the Slytherins…" George answered philosophically. "You guys either sing along and celebrate with us, or we'll make you play 'Truth or Dare'." 

"I think you'd better sing along and try to enjoy it as well, small cousin," Tonks advised. "They've got Hermione with them and trust me, either way, it's embarrassing." 

"What the hell…" Draco muttered. "All right…" He was obviously uncomfortable and his lover asked him silently how Slytherins celebrate their birthdays. "Nothing fancy like this and I'm _not_ talking about how I celebrated my birthday with my parents. Anyway, I doubt it matters to you. It's your special day today, not mine." 

"Harry, what did you ask him?" Ron queried and Harry informed him that he had just asked Draco how Slytherins celebrated their birthdays. 

"Humor me, Draco. I'm sure all of us would like to know what an ideal birthday celebration is," Harry said, smiling brightly at him. 

"He probably thinks having expensive birthday presents is ideal," Ron muttered under his breath. 

Draco rolled his eyes at that and sighed. "Sorry professor, since what I'm going to say next will probably label you as a sentimentalist or an equally embarrassing term." Snape stared at him curiously. "The most memorable birthday I had was when I was eight. My parents were off somewhere in the world and I was left in the care of Sev. There were no balls or the irritating squeals of a certain Slytherin prefect. Not many presents either. Sev actually cooked a meal and baked a cake for me. He then took me to Stonehenge. It was the happiest day of my life, being able to feel magic all about me." 

Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. Harry was quiet but he was looking at his godfather with a fond smile. Lupin stared at Snape and suddenly, the Potions Master who had felt that he was being watched, turned. He was not surprised to see that his colleague was examining him. He narrowed his eyes when Lupin came to stand by his side, close enough for him to hold his lover's hand, had he wanted to. 

"You should share the softer side of you with all of us, Severus," Lupin said softly. "Don't be so shy that you only reserve it for your students." 

Snape's face turned a little green and he let his eyes fall to the ground. He muttered something under his breath and Lupin chuckled. He slapped Snape lightly on the back. 

"Seems like most of you Slytherins are a reserved bunch so we will forgive you if you sing softly," Lupin said lightly and Snape scowled at him. 

**__**

"I'll bet you a kiss that Lupin… ah… Remus… will rest his hand on Sev until the song ends…" Draco sent his thought to Harry. 

"You're on," Harry answered, smiling deviously. The singing started again and Draco forced himself to sing in a low voice. However, his voice seemed to stand out even over Bill's melodious voice and Hermione's clear soprano. Snape's singing voice was as exquisite as his normal speaking tones and Draco thought he saw Lupin almost drool. There was a round of applause after the singing and Draco narrowed his eyes in speculation. 

"You cast something on me!" he accused the emerald-eyed Gryffindor. 

"I did not!" Harry protested, innocence radiating out of his eyes. 

"Yeah, right. So Professor Dumbledore then?" Draco sulked and pouted. 

"I'm afraid it wasn't I who charmed your voice to stand out above the rest," the old wizard answered in amusement. 

"Oh, Freddie…" Ginny was waving at her brother and held out her hand, as if demanding to be paid. 

"Ginny! You didn't!" Hermione exclaimed and Draco blinked his eyes several times. 

"What? It was too good an idea to throw away so I made a bet with the twins," Ginny answered in a defensive tone of voice. 

"What was the bet?" Mr. Weasley asked, oblivious to the disapproving look on his wife's face. 

"To see if Draco could sing better than Harry," Ginny replied then grinned. "Of course, I don't think any of us have heard _him_ singing." She looked pointedly at the raven-haired Gryffindor. 

"Hey, I did a Christmas Carol for you guys last year!" Harry protested. 

"Yes you did," Hermione agreed, "but Dean and Seamus were so loud that they drowned you out." Draco snickered when Harry blushed and fidgeted where he stood. Tonks summoned her black bag and she directed it toward Harry's chest. Draco studied his lover's puzzled expression as he carefully cradled the bag while Tonks ended the Hovering Charm. 

"That's a present from Moony and me and…" her voice trailed off and looked uncertainly at Lupin. Draco turned his head slightly so that he could watch the Defence professor. He was right; Lupin had not removed his hand from Snape's back. Lupin looked slightly saddened and smiled. 

"Well… we scoured Headquarters several weeks back. Sirius had actually bought presents for you for every year," Tonks said in a small voice. "It was like he knew he wouldn't be hanging around." 

"Oh..." Harry looked stunned. 

"The bag's magical. It's kind of bottomless," Lupin spoke up. 

"Meaning that there's more than one present in there," Fred said. "Since they gave you presents in bulk and they'll certainly have more sentimental value, I think you ought to pay attention to them later." The twins then came forward, each holding a box wrapped with magical gift wrappers. Both boxes were dark green and studded with small, brilliantly flashing stars. 

Draco felt a little sorry for the raven-haired Gryffindor. Harry obviously didn't want to let go of the black bag but Hermione gently urged him to set it down on the table. Harry smiled but Draco saw that his eyes were watering. 

**__**

"Are you all right?" Draco asked in concern. 

**__**

"I'm fine. It's just that, I had not expected…" Harry's response was a little shaky. The Gryffindor distracted himself by opening George's box first and found that it contained all the sweets and chocolates that could be found in Diagon Alley. Fred's box contained a myriad of joke stuff. A plain black packet caught his attention. 

"What's this?" Harry asked, brows furrowed as he searched for a label indicating what the product was. 

"It's something we just invented and you're the first to try it," Fred answered in a serious manner. 

"He's saying that you have just been selected as a guinea pig," Ginny said sarcastically. 

"Gin!" the twins turned to their sister at once. 

"Don't mind her. This product is much, much safer than the Canary Cream," George said, glaring at Ginny all the while. 

"We don't know if you want to try it out tonight but we'll leave it to you. All you have to do is be in a room — doesn't matter if you're alone or not — and the room must be dark. You simply put the packet on the floor and cast a Light Spell. You set the light onto the packet and…" Fred was grinning like a lunatic. 

**__**

"Now they have got me curious," Harry confessed to Draco. He shrugged nonchalantly. Next was Charlie and his gift was a shirt, made up of strands of unicorn hair and spider's silk. 

"Hey, you could have gotten him dragon-hide boots or something," Fred whispered and Charlie launched himself at his brother. They playfully wrestled on the ground and Mrs. Weasley sighed. Bill gave him a hair-cutting kit. The instructions were quite clear. You pick the design you like and the job will be done magically. Mrs. Weasley had knitted him a dark blue jumper. 

"Arthur here added these," she was fingering the trail of silver embroidered leaves on the hems of the sweater as she spoke. 

"Thanks," Harry said gratefully. 

**__**

"What do you think, Drake?" Harry placed the shirt on himself and Draco laughed openly. 

**__**

"Dark blue's all right but I prefer you in dark green," he answered truthfully. **_"But since Mr. Weasley had silver leaves in mind; well, dark green wouldn't go with it as well as it does the blue. For some reason, I don't think you like gold."_**

**__**

"Observant, as always…" Harry smiled at him. 

"Harry, here's our gift," Hermione spoke on behalf of herself, Ron and Ginny, holding out a simply wrapped brown paper parcel. 

**__**

"It's a book," Draco observed and Harry nodded distractedly as he reached for it. A book of defensive spells and shields was revealed as Harry opened the gift. 

**__**

"You're one bloody lucky boy." Draco's amazement was shared by Dumbledore and Snape. 

"Tell me, the three of you," Snape spoke up silkily. "Did you buy that on Halloween during the trip to Hogsmeade?" Hermione smiled nervously and he sighed. "The first time a student has actually beaten me in shopping for archaic stuff," he muttered then stared penetratingly into his godson's eyes. "Translating some of the sentences in that book will not be easy, Harry." 

"You seem to know the book quite well, Professor. I read it but couldn't make any sense of it. Some of the theories were quite complex and it's easy to misunderstand what some of the sentences implied," Hermione said, her eyes gleaming brightly with excitement. 

"Yes, I know that, Miss Granger. I probably should not have sold it in the first place but how in Merlin's name was I to know that I would end up having a godson who specializes mainly in defensive magic?" Snape gave a thin smile as he watched the stupefied faces of the three Gryffindors. 

"We thought it was Salazar Slytherin's," Ron said shakily. 

"It was," Snape replied and they stared at the book in Harry's hands in awe. 

**__**

"It's a precious book, Green-Eyes. Take good care of it or Sev is likely to curse you into the next decade." 

**__**

"Thanks for the tip." 

"So! Professor Dumbledore," the twins piped up cheerfully, "what have you got for The Boy Who Lived?" 

"Nothing much," the old wizard answered with a smile. "I happened to come by it as I wandered into one of the magically-moving classrooms inside Hogwarts." A huge gift-wrapped rectangular object materialized onto the table. "You don't have to open that now, Harry. Maybe, on a day you are filled with Light…" 

**__**

"Isn't that cryptic," Draco stated and Harry chuckled. 

"I'll leave this till later then, Professor," Harry replied. 

"Mister Harry Potter sir!!! Dobby wishes Mister Harry Potter a happy birthday!!!" A soft poof came out of nowhere and Dobby suddenly appeared, hovering in midair. He held a tray of dark-colored knitted socks. Winky appeared by him and she carried another tray containing an assortment of biscuits. 

"Dobby!" two high-pitched voices rang in the yard and Dobby was suddenly entangled in a tight hug by Draco's two house-elves. 

"Are you well? Are students nice to Dobby? The other house-elves?" Nira babbled her questions, crying shamelessly. Winky was a little nonplussed at the reception so she took hold of Dobby's gift and presented it to Harry shyly. 

"Thank you, Winky, but you shouldn't trouble yourselves," Harry said but Winky shook her head. 

"It was no trouble at all, sir," the house-elf answered then she waited for Dobby in a secluded corner. Dobby had suddenly caught sight of Draco and he froze. Nira and Let came to stand behind him. 

"Maybe now we get to hear how rotten the git has been to his house-elves," Draco heard Ron whisper to Hermione. Dobby heard Ron and sniffled loudly. 

"Young Master never hurt Dobby. Young Master never troubles Dobby because Dobby wasn't meant to serve Master Draco," Dobby squeaked out in between sniffs. 

"Mind you, Ronald Weasley, he has had no ties to me since Harry there freed him," Draco said sweetly and Ron shot him a sour look. 

"All right everyone. The gift ceremony is over so I think it is time for us to take some pictures," Mrs. Weasley said. "And Harry," she hugged the boy and Draco tried to hide his smile, "happy seventeen!" She smiled then tiptoed to give Harry a kiss on his cheek. 

"I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me from the photo-taking ceremony, Molly," Snape said quickly but not before he exchanged a quick look with Lupin. 

"No, Severus," Mrs. Weasley spoke firmly. "You're here, inside our turf, and you've been nice enough to sing so taking a picture shouldn't hurt you a bit." 

"I am not photogenic," Snape said darkly but Mrs. Weasley was determined to get pictures of everyone. 

"Nira, I hope you don't mind taking the photographs for us?" Mrs. Weasley asked Draco's female house-elf hopefully. 

"No, Mistress Weasley. Nira just clicks this, right?" the house-elf asked. Nira examined the Muggle-made object while Harry quickly explained to her how she should take a picture. "What is this number?" 

Harry peered curiously at the top display. It read twenty-six. "'Mione, the film you bought has a capacity of thirty-six pictures, right?" Hermione nodded. 

"Nira understands now. Nira can take up to ten photographs." The house-elf smiled brightly then skipped to wait for everyone to pose. In the end, for the group photo, most of the adults ended up sitting on the chairs. From the left: Dumbledore, Snape, Lupin, Tonks, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley. Bill, Charlie and the twins knelt in front of those people sitting. After several seconds of discussion, the twins were moved so that they kneeled in between Bill and Charlie. Mrs. Weasley quickly instructed the rest to clear up some space atop the tables and had them climb up on top of the furniture. From left: Draco, Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron. They knelt behind the adults with the majority of the magical lights congregated above their heads. 

"Smile!" Nira called out gaily. 

**********

****

In what used to be the Twins' room. 

The Hogwarts students had gathered in Draco's room since it had more floor space than Ron's or Ginny's. The adults were lounging in the living room. Fred and George were preparing their shed to be a makeshift darkroom while Bill and Charlie went around taking pictures to use up the last of the film. Harry, who was sitting on the bed beside Draco, had gotten out Tonks and Lupin's presents from the black bag. He was just about to open them when they heard the sound of two sets of feet approaching. Bill and Charlie appeared, panting slightly. 

"Hey," Bill panted, "we have a couple more to go… Mind if I take some?" 

"Go ahead," Ginny said excitedly then quickly scrambled onto the bed and threw her arms around Harry. 

**__**

"Now I'm feeling violent," Draco mentioned to his lover. 

**__**

"You can't be jealous, Drake," Harry's tone was trembling with merriment. 

**__**

"I am…" 

Ginny suddenly decided that her pose wasn't cute enough so she threw her right arm over Draco's shoulder. Her action caused Harry and Draco to sit closer together. 

"Hey!" Draco yelped in surprise and Ginny chortled. 

"As Mum would say," she said loudly, "might as well start being a member of this household, Slytherin." 

"Ron, you hex the kid and I'll hang you upside down from a tree," Bill threatened. Ron totally refused to look at Ginny or Draco. 

**__**

"I wonder which will get me killed faster: having Ginny by me or getting close to you…" Draco blushed when Ginny settled her chin on his shoulder. Bill quickly took two shots. 

"Any of you want to see Fred and George developing the film? We can take the last of the pictures with them," Charlie said. 

"Okay bro!" Ginny scampered off the bed and bolted downstairs. 

"She's quite the ball of energy, isn't she?" mused Draco. 

"You noticed it too?" Harry asked. 

"I'm coming too," Ron said as he stood. "Harry?" 

"No, Ron. I think I'll stay here and see what's in the bag," Harry answered apologetically. 

"Are you sure? Then _you_ are going to come with us," Ron spoke in a menacing tone. 

"Why should I?" Draco scoffed. 

"Because I don't trust you being alone with my friend." 

"Ron…" Hermione tugged at the redhead's sleeve. "I think Draco knows not to mess up." 

"You better keep your hands off your wand kid," Bill said lightly as he disappeared from view. Hermione shut the door firmly behind her and finally, Harry and Draco were alone. 

"Thought this moment would never come," Draco mumbled as he pulled Harry into a tight embrace. Harry kissed his neck lightly and drew back to look into the Slytherin's face, his fingers gently stroking the silver hair. 

**__**

"Lighten up, Green-Eyes. Come, let's see what my cousin and Remus got for you," Draco said as he lifted a heavy box and placed it on Harry's lap. It was from the Defence professor. Harry refused to remove his right arm from Draco's waist so both of them worked to open the box up. 

"Is that a Pensieve?" Draco asked, exchanging a baffled look with his lover. Harry nodded and they shakily pulled it out. Lupin had attached a silver lid on the object, probably as a safety measure should Harry accidentally stick his hand in. There was a note attached to it: 

Happy Birthday, Harry. This isn't really your birthday gift. I am referring, of course, to the Pensieve. Tonks and I found it after we cleaned out Sirius's room; it was hidden beneath the fireplace. Yes, this was Sirius's and I feel that it's best if you keep it. 

My gift is probably still inside the bag. It is wrapped in blue. I hope you will like it, although I have to confess that I had to depend on good old Tonks for help. Hers is wrapped in green. I've noticed that all your gift wrappers are black, green or blue. There are two extra gifts; both are wrapped in black and silver. I don't know how you'll feel about them, Harry… They're from Sirius… One was for your sixteenth and the other is for your birthday today. All the other items inside the black bag are his gifts for you, year by year… 

I just hope that you will feel all right about it and I hope you'll share your feelings with your godfather. And thanks… 

Love, Remus 

a.k.a. Moony 

**__**

"Green-Eyes?" Draco wrapped his arm about Harry's shoulder. 

**__**

"Do we have to look in here now?" Harry fingered the note, eyes watering. Draco carefully took hold of the Pensieve then set it on the empty surface of the study desk in reply. Harry watched as his lover carefully and gently unwrapped both presents. That done, Draco opened Tonks's first. It revealed a bracelet and Harry chuckled. He held out his left hand and gestured for Draco to fasten it on his wrist. 

"I think Sev will make fun of me when we get home," he said lightly. 

"A bit of accessory is good but too much and you are asking for trouble," Draco agreed. "Now, let's go for the wolf's." He opened the slightly larger box then gave a whistle. Harry muttered an oath and he wanted to shout at Lupin for buying something so expensive. 

**__**

"He is nuts!" Harry screamed, looking at the wizard's robes in disbelief. 

"It's great, Green-Eyes," Draco eyed the silver-black robe appreciatively. "Though I don't think you're meant to wear it now." 

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, tilting his head slightly in inquiry. 

"I think this robe is meant to be worn when you graduate… or something like that… You certainly can use it for the Yule Ball…" 

Harry fell silent, looking unblinkingly at Lupin's gift. Draco shrugged then closed the box and set it aside. He turned back to the bag and fished out the two previously mentioned gifts, handing them to Harry. 

"Open them yourself," Draco said, pointing at the presents with his chin. "Go on…" 

With trembling fingers, Harry did. The first one felt like a book and opening it, he found that it was an album. It looked old and turning the cover, they discovered that it contained pictures of his parents while they were still at Hogwarts. Harry shut the album and set it back inside the box. He was feeling a little overwhelmed and Draco seemed to understand what he was going through. 

**__**

"Take things one at a time then. There is no rush…" 

**__**

"Gods… Drake, I'm so grateful you're here with me…" Harry leaned against Draco and snuggled closer to the Slytherin. He opened the second one. It was a plain black chain. 

**__**

"Just because it's so ordinary-looking doesn't mean it doesn't have any value, Drake," Harry said and smiled at the sheepish look his lover gave him. Harry unhooked the chain and put the necklace on himself. 

"You look different with it," Draco observed. "You're different but I can't… Bloody hell…" 

"What?" Harry asked and quickly removed the necklace. "What happened?" 

"I think you ought to show that to Dumbledore before you wear it again, Green-Eyes," Draco said in a hushed voice. "Your aura actually shines brighter with it on…" 

"Okay…" Harry stared at the chain curiously. It did not feel as if it held any magic. "You're right, I think Dumbledore ought to examine it…" 

************

****

Inside the twins' shed… 

"Bill! You just stepped on my foot!!!" Ginny yelped loudly. 

"Sorry, little sis," Bill gave her a brief hug in the darkness. "Hey, how's it going?" he asked the twins. 

"Yeah, they're fine. Seems like everything is getting developed," Fred answered. 

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Charlie and Bill waited another ten minutes. Ron felt extremely bored so he pulled Hermione close to his chest and wrapped his arms about her waist. Hermione giggled at Ron's show of affection. 

"Your mum will kill us you know," she spoke, tilting her head upwards. 

"No she won't," George said in a distracted manner. "Done!" Hermione helped the twins conjure up some light and Fred chanted a spell and waved his wand at the rows of photos arranged carefully on the workbench. The spell would help prevent degradation and made the photographs resistant to aging or water. Once that was done, Bill and Charlie summoned several bright lights to illuminate the room. All of them followed the twins as they went into their bedroom and sat down on the floor. They gathered closely and were soon passing photographs around. Fred paused and stared at the photo in his hand in disbelief. 

"What's wrong, twin?" George asked, then peered at the photograph. 

"Sweet, wise, almighty Merlin," Bill breathed. He was peering over Fred's head and was staring down at the picture. 

"The potion can't be defective right?" George asked desperately. 

"I seriously don't know…" 

"What's up with the two of you?" Ginny snatched the stack of photographs then settled down to examine them. She turned pale and her eyes widened. She was clearly shocked and her mouth fell open. 

"Give me that," Ron said. He beckoned to Hermione to come closer and together, they looked through the last eleven photographs. Hermione gasped, Ron swore. He quickly looked through the pictures then selected two and let Charlie look at the rest. The first picture was of the adults lounging in the living room. Ron and Hermione watched as Snape's photographic form stood up from his chair to sit by Lupin's knee. The Lupin in the photograph smiled at them while he stroked the Potions Master's hair. Hermione took that picture shakily out from Ron's fingers. The second one was the picture Bill took of Harry and Draco that had caught them by surprise. The photograph looked normal and yet Ron stared at the figures. Finally, Draco's form stood up, combed his hair with his fingers and unabashedly, comfortably settled on Harry's lap. Ron closed his eyes, suddenly seeing red everywhere. When he reopened his eyes, it was to find Harry and Draco pressing their cheeks against each other, smiling and eyes twinkling lovingly back. 

"Let's go to Remus first," Fred decided then took off suddenly. 

"Hey!" Ginny screamed. "Wait up!" The rest scrambled up to their feet to catch up with the twins. 

**********

Dumbledore had excused himself from the living room and had gone outside to laugh. Tonks was slumped in her chair, looking sullen. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were cheery as usual but Mrs. Weasley was more open about it. 

"You didn't have to hide it from us, Severus… Remus," she said, her face beaming. 

"Mum, you are actually encouraging them?" Charlie asked incredulously. 

"Oh, Charlie… When something like this happens, it's meant to happen…" Mrs. Weasley answered. 

Snape, now confronted with the evidence, had gone red and his right eyelid ticked ominously. Lupin on the other hand, seemed to have gone straight into a trance. The rest of the kids sat around helplessly, suddenly feeling drained. 

"Professor Snape?" Hermione asked the Potions Master timidly, "Is this why you didn't want your picture taken?" She cowered against Ron when Snape glared at her. Dumbledore came back in but burst out laughing when the Potions Master stared in his direction. Harry's godfather finally buried his face in his hands and nodded. Hermione looked at the Potions Master in sympathy. Lupin's voice shook her out of her contemplation. 

"Severus," Lupin's voice was tight with tension. "Let's go and take a walk. And perhaps, get drunk again." 

"Don't wander off too far from the house, mind you," Mr. Weasley advised. 

Snape rose from his seat and approached the Defence professor. He stared thoughtfully at Lupin's careworn face. He took a deep breath and held out his hand. Too surprised to reject him, Lupin accepted and laced their fingers together. They proceeded to move outdoors when Snape stopped and turned his head to look at the crowd of youngsters. He was smiling. 

"It would not be fair to my godson if I did my best to ignore your mother," was all he said before setting off again. 

"What in the hell was that supposed to mean?" Ron demanded. 

"Ron, calm down," Hermione coaxed but knew it was futile. Ron had that wild look in his eyes when he stared at the photo in her hands. 

"You know what I think?" he said to his siblings. All of them took deep breaths and nodded. They slowly climbed upwards and headed for Draco's room. Bill carefully pulled Ron aside and gave him a stern look. 

"Ready?" Bill whispered, looking slowly at his siblings and Hermione. "Here goes…" He swiftly opened the door. Draco and Harry were unaware of their presence. Both were looking at an album. Ginny suddenly felt her knees give way and she sat quietly in the hallway. Ron felt totally drained of emotion. Although Draco wasn't sitting on Harry's lap, they were holding hands and their heads touched each other. The posture was clearly lover-like. Ron saw that they were at the last page of the album and when it closed, the oblivious couple finally became aware that they were being watched. Harry and Draco stared back at them. 

"So, was this Draco's birthday present to you, Harry?" Fred asked first. His face was serious and his tone was stern. The exposed couple remained mute. The twins came forward and sat on the floor. 

"We are not going to move from this room and we won't allow you to get any sleep until you tell us if this is a mutual decision between the two of you, and that Draco didn't force you or hex you," George told them. Bill helped Ginny up and conjured a chair for her to sit on. 

"Hey… I wasn't trying to push you together when we took the picture on the bed," she said softly, looking at Harry with pleading eyes. 

"It's all right Ginny," Harry said and sighed ruefully. He looked nervously at Draco. "Drake and I… we… Gods… We want this, the both of us…" Ron sat down beside Ginny's chair. 

"For the love of Merlin… Harry… Why didn't you tell us sooner?!" Ron groaned and pulled at his hair. Harry exchanged a helpless look with Draco. 

"We only got together earlier this month for your information…" Draco mumbled. 

"Ron…" Harry began but Ron motioned him to be silent. 

"I'm not going to tell you who you should or shouldn't go out with. It's your choice. But I'll tell you this, Draco; you hurt Harry and I'll make you pay for it." There! He had said it and he couldn't believe himself. The fact that Harry's liking pointed to the same sex did not bother him. Even the fact that it was _Draco_ did not alter his thinking. "Oh yes, by the way, just because I feel all right with the arrangement doesn't change my opinion of you, Draco." 

"I understand that," the Slytherin replied solemnly. Ron groaned silently when he recognized that the look shining from both Harry and Draco's eyes was gratitude. He looked at Fred and then at George. He then looked at the rest of his siblings. All of them sighed in a similar fashion. 

"Luna's going to be very disappointed," Ginny mumbled to herself. 

"I thought you were going out with Parkinson?" Ron asked curiously. 

"Dumped her during a train ride two years back." Draco shrugged, then resumed holding Harry's hand. Hermione got up to her feet and slowly approached them. She looked down at the couple. 

"This summer was sure filled with surprises," she murmured. She bent down to kiss each boy on the cheek. "Happy joining… I guess." She smiled happily at them. She handed the two photographs to Harry. Draco leaned closer to look. 

"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed when he saw the picture of Snape and Lupin then burst out laughing. 

"Yeah… laugh all you want, mate. You can keep the second picture," Ron told them. 

Draco's frame was trembling with suppressed mirth as he handed over the picture of himself and Harry. The raven-haired boy took it then gawked at it. Harry managed to regain his composure, then smirked. 

"At least you're on top of me," he said. "I was getting tired of sitting on your lap all the time." He was grinning from ear to ear as Draco became embarrassed. 

"You what?!" several voices exclaimed. Laughter from the couple vibrated through the wooden walls of The Burrow, reaching even the couple taking refuge in the grove near the Weasleys' home. 

**********

****

Firesword: Did you guys enjoyed reading this chapter? I did! Hehehee… Chapter 12… A brief peek into the Dark Side… and fluff at the end? *Shrugs* I'll update soon! 


	12. Sharing Space with Draco

****

~ Chapter 12: Sharing space with Draco ~

Days passed peaceably with Draco spending most of his time studying whatever Harry and Snape thought would be useful. In time, Hermione found the courage to join him. He on the other hand, had been extremely polite and helpful; he listed down the things Harry wanted them (Hermione, Ginny and Ron) to learn. 

Harry and Draco shared their thoughts twice each day and as usual, they spent their time together in the world they created for themselves while they slept. Their sleep was free of nightmares but only if they were together. Harry was always the first to wake since the night Draco had moved in with the Weasleys. On the fourth morning after Harry left The Burrow, Ron threw a bucket of ice-cold water on Draco to wake him up. It had left him shaking and he developed a fever soon after, but he recovered quickly. 

On the fifth morning, Dumbledore stopped by to drop the black chain off with Draco. He said that it did not have any malignant properties and that Harry could have it back. Ron had been a bit sour-tempered since Harry had left because most of Harry's birthday presents were in the Slytherin's room. Ron still didn't care to trust Draco.

That was how life at The Burrow went... peaceful, and sometimes filled with awkward silence. Draco couldn't wait for Harry to arrive and the rest couldn't help but feel the same. 

**********

****

Friday, 15th August, late afternoon. In Voldemort's current hideout.

The entire house was damp and chilly. Rodolphus Lestrange sneezed and rubbed his nose carefully. He sneezed again. Lucius came into view holding a bottle and a spoon and handed both to him.

"Thank you, Lucius," Rodolphus said before sneezing again. 

"I have absolutely no idea if this potion is effective," the silvery-haired wizard spoke with narrowed eyes. "Peter is no Severus." 

"Huh," Rodolphus sniggered. He grimaced as he swallowed a spoonful of the remedy. "Blegh… Damn… that tasted horrible." 

"Most medicines do," Lucius said with a nasty smile. "Are the women done?" he asked as he looked around for a chair. Rodolphus turned back to stare at the door. 

"I guess not." 

"Master!" Lucius hurried over to Voldemort who had just come down the hall. Suddenly, a loud explosion occurred from somewhere in the house. The door that Rodolphus had been staring at was suddenly flung open and Bellatrix and Narcissa came out running. Smoke followed them. 

"Run!" Narcissa screamed, picking up her long skirt and sprinting off.

"What?" Rodolphus asked stupidly then choked when smoke suddenly surrounded him. Wraith-like hands appeared to wrap around his throat and tightened about it. 

"Hello, Rodolphus. You're still alive," a ghostly voice spoke to him. He couldn't answer as he gasped for air, then began to flail about as he was lifted several feet up into the air. 

"Master! What is it?" Wormtail, upon hearing the noise, had come running to investigate. 

"Lucius! Get everyone out!" Voldemort hissed. 

"Master…" Rodolphus managed to whisper. 

"Ah… _He_ is here…" the spooky voice muttered. 

"AAAAHHHH!!!" The floating Death Eater screamed as he was suddenly let go. 

"NOOOOO!!!" Bellatrix screamed, rushing past Voldemort without a thought for her own safety to check on her husband. It was too late; her husband had broken his neck. 

"Narcissa!" Lucius barked and his wife came timidly. Her hair had become disarrayed in her haste and she was covered in soot. "What have you done?" 

"I did as you asked," she reported. "Bella and I used Draco's hair to allow us to control him without being detected. We tried it with the Minister yesterday and encountered no problems as he entered the village. However, our son… he seems to be protected by something strong. No outside magic could alter anything within the Weasleys' home." 

"Those are guardians," Voldemort said harshly. "Fools… Your son… if he knows how to… He could probably bring about my downfall…"

"These wraiths, Master… can they be made to report to anyone?" Lucius asked, looking at his wife in disdain. 

"The old fool is already aware of our whereabouts, Lucius." Voldemort whirled and stared hard at his Death Eater. "We are leaving." Lucius quickly followed the Dark Lord as he gathered the rest of his followers to flee to some other place, leaving Narcissa to persuade her sister that it was best to leave her dead husband behind.

**********

****

At The Burrow.

When Draco awoke, it was to find himself surrounded by the worried faces of Mrs. Weasley, Charlie and Hermione. He blinked his eyes to clear his vision, trying to recall what had happened to make them so concerned. 

**_"Drake!" _**Harry's thought was laced with worry and agitation. 

"I'm fine, Green-Eyes," Draco answered weakly. 

"Uh, Draco, Harry's not here yet," Hermione said softly and helped him up into a sitting position. He was surprised to see that he had been lying on the kitchen floor. 

"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked but before Draco could summon the strength to answer her, Dumbledore Apparated in. For an old man, he was capable of kneeling down swiftly.

"Look into my eyes," he instructed. His keen eyes noticed that the peculiar black chain hung about his neck and he wondered absently if the boy had gotten Harry's permission before wearing it. Draco complied though the Slytherin was a little baffled at the suddenness. However, the Headmaster's eyes were strangely hypnotic and Draco was lost in them immediately. "Good. They could not influence you. I was a little worried about that," Dumbledore said as he got to his feet. 

Charlie helped the young Slytherin to stand. Dumbledore smiled at Mrs. Weasley's anxious look. "It seems that his mother has been trying to cast a spell on him, to make him a puppet. So far, they have not been successful, thanks to the protections surrounding The Burrow." The old wizard looked into Draco's eyes once more. Dumbledore wondered again about the necklace's origin and purpose. 

"Well, I should be going. I have a meeting with some members in the next few minutes." The wizard left without another word.

Mrs. Weasley still felt uncertain about Draco's condition but the fact that Harry would be coming later in the evening made her decide that she ought to get her cooking done. Charlie informed his mother that he'd be going to the twins' shop and that they would purchase some snacks together. Ron and Ginny had gone off ahead of him. Hermione didn't follow since she wasn't feeling well, but had asked Ginny to get the stuff a girl needed when she's at her most vulnerable state. She still felt a little shy talking about womanly matters with her boyfriend. 

"When is Harry coming?" she asked then snapped her fingers once to gain Draco's attention.

"Hang on," he said absently. **_"So… when are you arriving?"_**

"I think in about an hour. Sev will be taking Black and Hawke with him and he's doing something strange to the premises. I have to help him now; he's calling me. I'll see you later, lover…" 

"All right…" Draco straightened his shirt as he answered Hermione's question. "Soon. He has to wait for his godfather to seal the cottage." 

"Oh?" Hermione's voice was filled with curiosity. "Where is _he_ going? He can't be staying here too?"

"I don't think so," Draco said, shaking his head. "I think he's been attached to Lupin." 

Her eyes went wide and Draco smiled faintly. He walked off but paused in the middle of the living room. _What am I to do now? I really have no desire to strain my eyes reading a book or studying… _Before the Slytherin could make up his mind about what to do, Hermione had decided for him. She appeared carrying a tray with two cups and a huge jug containing orange juice. 

"Why don't you sit and just relax?" the girl suggested as she set the tray down on a coffee table, looking at him expectantly. 

Draco studied her earnest face before scanning his surroundings for the nearest chair. He saw a light green armchair and headed straight for it. He lifted it then walked across to place it near where the drinks were laid out. Hermione was already curled up comfortably in Ron's favorite chair, which was a huge red couch. Draco helped himself to the juice before he sat, looking at Hermione directly. 

_Whatever it is, I just hope that she has forgotten what she saw during the train ride… _Draco kept his eyes focused on her and was satisfied when Hermione showed signs of uneasiness. _Blast you… If you have something to say, just say it. _He waited patiently for her to speak. 

"Well… Draco… I know that you might feel uneasy about talking to me…" Hermione said anxiously. 

Draco carefully hid a smile. _Damn right, I _am_ uncomfortable talking to someone I called 'Mudblood' for nearly five years…_

"— But you don't really have abilities like Harry, right?" She leaned forward and looked at him with round eyes. 

__

I see now why Green-Eyes said that there are just times secrets can't be kept from her. She knows exactly how to pull answers from someone who's not expecting anything to happen… He mused. _I'm glad that Green-Eyes warned me about her…_

"You're being a little vague," Draco replied evasively.

"Well… you don't really have wandless magic like Harry…" 

__

So she **did** notice what happened on the train. "Sorry to disappoint you but yes, I do." She gaped at him so he quickly added, "Just a little. I can do minor spells without using my wand." 

"You call wrapping a shield around Snape _minor_?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Draco sighed. _I had hoped everyone would have forgotten that by now. _

"Didn't you say that the bracelet Harry gave you prevented you from burning yourself? What does that mean?" Hermione persisted with her questioning.

"I have a strange way with fire," Draco answered. He slowly drank his juice, eyes looking everywhere but Hermione. The girl was about to question him again but a thoughtful look suddenly crossed her face and she fell silent. 

"You mean that shield of yours was made of fire?" she hazarded.

"Something like that," he replied. He was uncomfortable with her questions but mostly because he didn't really know anything about his strange Gift. Hermione decided that it was time for her to ask something else. 

"Did you really call up a Patronus successfully?" she asked in a small voice. 

He nodded. This particular topic was something he had already thought about but he hadn't discussed it with his lover. _I doubt I'd have the guts to. _He remembered the exact words he had thrown in Harry's face. _'Just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line.'_ Hermione seemed to be waiting for something and he suppressed a sigh. He wordlessly took out his wand and after several minutes of deep concentration, he muttered the incantation. It was far less tiring for him to conjure up one now and somehow, the sight of the ghostly white ferret standing on its haunches calmed his nerves. Hermione giggled and he scowled at her. 

The slightest hint of magic caused his Patronus to scurry away and jump up onto his lap. Draco was so busy looking at the creature in surprise that he missed the mirthful looks of Snape and Harry. Draco let it go then looked up to find Harry's smiling face.

"Did I just see signs of you being humble?" his green-eyed lover asked mildly. 

Draco snorted and then muttered, "You wish." 

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she peeked into the living room. 

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry greeted. He turned to face his godfather for a moment. "Sev, stay for a while, okay?" Draco saw Snape give a slight nod. Harry's trunk slowly landed on the floor. The sight of a familiar beak caused Draco to jump up and quickly rush to the cage where Hedwig was. 

"Helios!" The Slytherin swiftly opened the cage. Hedwig hooted in appreciation as she slowly waddled out. Harry picked her up carefully, mindful of her talons and her wings before settling her on a perch. Draco in the meantime waited patiently for his owl to climb on his wrist. 

"Don't you think it's wiser if you wear a glove first, Draco?" Hermione asked but he ignored her. Helios was crooning softly, shivering at his touch. 

"Is he all right?" he asked Snape. 

"He is. It is a good thing that Hedwig and Hawke found him before your father's men did," Snape answered. His black eyes surveyed the room before he decided to place his belongings in one corner where they wouldn't obstruct traffic. The doors to the cages that protected his owl and cat while they Portkey-ed swung open. Hawke launched himself into the air and flew low. Moments later, he shared Hedwig's perch. Crookshanks dashed forward and stopped directly in front of Black. The two cats sniffed at each other curiously. Crookshanks gave a low rumble while Black gave a soft meow. The black Persian headed swiftly for the chair where Draco had been sitting and began grooming himself.

"He seems weak," Draco observed, stroking his owl's head tenderly. 

"He is but it will pass," Snape said. He had sat down on the green chair and Black was curled comfortably in his lap. The cat blended in well with Snape's customary black wizards robes and could not be seen were it not for the bright pair of yellow eyes. 

Draco carefully cradled his eagle owl and carried him up to his room. He took his time, making sure Helios was comfortable and carefully fed him some treats he retrieved from a packet he kept in his trunk. His skin prickled with the sensation that he was being watched. He turned and saw Harry leaning on the doorframe. In his lover's hand was a small bowl from which the smell of blood carried to Draco's nose. The emerald-eyed Gryffindor came into the room and went straight to him without shutting the door. Harry's arm reached around his waist and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

"Thank you," Draco said in a grateful tone. He took the bowl from his lover's hand and began feeding his owl slices of meat. 

The two boys stood in the bedroom in silence. Harry wrapped both arms about the slender Slytherin's waist and rested his chin on Draco's shoulder, occasionally kissing the pale exposed neck as he watched Draco hand-feed Helios.

**********

"Mum! We're home!" Ron yelled just as soon as he slid out of the fireplace. He quickly got out of the way as his sister appeared. Seconds later, the other Weasley siblings stepped into the household; they had Apparated. Ron spotted Snape drinking calmly, his black eyes watching the rest with interest. "Harry's here?" he asked Hermione. 

"Yes. He's upstairs in Draco's room. They found Draco's eagle owl and I think Harry took something up for it," she said and began conjuring up more glasses. She stood and handed her boyfriend a glass. 

Ron drank his fill. "Who owns the cat?" he asked in a perplexed voice. 

"That's Black," Hermione replied as she examined the contents of a brown paper bag that Ginny handed to her absently. The youngest of the Weasleys was checking the other bags, her mother helping her. "It's _his_ cat," Hermione informed him as she nodded her head toward the Potions Master. Ron stared at him speculatively while Snape watched him with a raised eyebrow. 

Two sets of feet descended the stairs and Harry and Draco came into view at the same time. There was a smile on Harry's face and Ron felt weird. _Bloody hell… What am I thinking? _He scolded himself. _It's good that Harry is feeling cheerful… _He stepped forward and gave his best friend a bear hug. Then he made a motion to hug Draco, who instinctively took several steps backward. Ron snorted with laughter at the disgusted expression on the Slytherin's face. _Oh yeah… Boy, does it feel good to make him uncomfortable… _He grinned widely, ignoring the suspicious look from Harry. 

**********

Harry made his way to his godfather who had stood up moments earlier. 

"Aren't you staying for dinner, Severus?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a disappointed tone, then sighed when Snape shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Molly, but Remus is expecting me for dinner," Snape answered seriously.

"Oh!" Mercurially, Mrs. Weasley chuckled. Even Hermione couldn't stop herself from smiling although she was a little unsure if Snape really meant what he said. "I hope you enjoy yourself, and be careful all right?" Without any warning at all, she embraced the tall man then set off for the kitchen with a smile. Snape blushed as he watched her go. Minutes later they heard her scold, "George!!! That's for Harry! Put it back!!!"

"Mum! I'm starving!" 

"Hey, don't be selfish twin! Mum, I'm hungry too!" Fred yelled.

"Boys! You both have jobs! Why didn't you get something to eat on your own?" Mrs. Weasley asked in an exasperated voice.

"Because we love your cooking, that's why!" The twins replied in unison. 

In the living room, the girls chuckled at the twins' childishness. Ginny turned to Harry and spoke, "Mum's baking a whole quail inside that small oven of ours. You'll love it." 

"Girls!" Mrs. Weasley called.

"Yes, Mum?" Ginny yelled in reply.

"I need you to peel some potatoes for me!"

"All right!" Ginny shouted again and heaved a huge grocery bag toward the kitchen. Suddenly she paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Take care and we'll see you again on September First," she said to Snape with a smile. She went to the kitchen after that. Hermione dashed upstairs with her bag of personal supplies before going to help Ginny and her mother. 

"Bill!" Mrs. Weasley called again. 

The oldest of the Weasley brothers shook his head affectionately. Without speaking, he and Charlie picked up the bags that had been left behind. 

Harry was of two minds regarding his separation from his godfather. Snape saw it and smiled. Ron stared in disbelief when Snape made the first move to hug Harry goodbye. Harry didn't want to think that he was overly dependent on Snape but being near the Potions Master made him feel secure and protected. 

"Stay safe," Harry mumbled softly into Snape's hair. He let his godfather kiss him on his forehead. Harry took a deep breath then let go. 

"You too, Harry. Mind you, do not disgust your friends during your stay," Snape said with a twinkle in his eyes. 

After Snape left, Ron piped up, "Did he actually joke?" Harry replied with a soft chuckle.

**********

****

After dinner, in the living room. 

Fred passed the bag of crisps around as the youngsters made themselves comfortable. Harry and Draco were both sitting on a super-huge cushion, courtesy of the twins. Ginny was reading a magazine and she constantly chatted with Hermione. 

"Hey Charlie," Fred called. "Harry's here now so let's hear it from you."

"Hear what from me?" Charlie asked in puzzlement. 

"You know… that day when Fudge came…" George reminded him. 

"Oh…" Charlie had a funny look on his face. "What was it about?" he asked, as if he had forgotten about the whole thing. 

"Charlie!" several voices chorused. The dragon keeper chortled under his breath. Then his face suddenly became serious.

"I have a feeling that Dad knows about it, but Mum shouldn't," Charlie said. 

"What was Fudge babbling about this time?" Ginny curled her lip in distaste. 

"Well, something along the lines of Harry being powerful enough that the village doesn't need the Ministry's protection…"

"Same old news," Draco said dismissively. All of them looked at him with unspoken questions. "Harry is a living hazard. Yes, he is powerful, but there are many more people with the Dark Lord, and _they_ are more than willing to fight. The fact that Voldemort wants _him_… well…"

"So Fudge thinks that too much protection is going into the village?" Ron hazarded. "Come on! The Ministry didn't really do that much…"

"I agree with that," Charlie spoke as he shook his head. "They didn't really have anything to do with the protections in the first place, but the Ministry _has_ to ensure that its citizens are safe."

"That's it?" Ron asked through a mouthful of chocolate cake.

"Sort of… He did say something rude about Mum, about this rickety house of ours and of course, the two of you."

"Us?" Fred and George piped up at the same time, looking innocently at their older brother. 

"Yup! I would just forget about it though. Redheaded as the rest of you are, _your_ tempers equally match the intensity of your hair color," Charlie said simply. Ginny stuck out her tongue and refused to talk to him after that. The Weasley boys laughed. Out of the seven siblings, Ginny had the hottest temper when angered and Charlie had the mildest. 

**_"Having so many siblings must get a little tiresome," _**Draco observed as he peeled the wrapper off a chocolate frog. 

**_"It depends on whether you learn to love them or not," _**Harry smiled as he replied. 

Hermione and Ginny suddenly started laughing, causing Ron to roll his eyes. In a typically Hermione-esque voice, he said, "_Girls…_" 

Out of curiosity, George summoned the magazine out of Ginny's hands. He too burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Harry had to ask. George sent the reading material over to him. 

Looking at its cover, Harry and Draco saw that it was a fashion magazine. The pages flipped by themselves to the one that had amused the girls. The Slytherin wore a scornful expression and Harry chuckled.

"What on earth is the photographer… or maybe in this case, the make-up artist thinking?" Draco rolled his eyes, voice full of sarcasm. 

"Well, the eye-liner on the kid is well done…" Harry disagreed. 

"No it's not. The era of Egyptian make-up has long since died out," Draco sniffed. "And look at their eyelids! This one," he pointed at a girl in the magazine, "she's wearing black _and_ she's dark-skinned. The black eyeshadow on her is hideous!" 

"All right, all right… You win! Satisfied?" 

"If I compare you to your godfather, Green-Eyes, you'd barely make an initiate," Draco said, referring to Harry's infinitesimal sense of fashion. 

"Whatever…" Harry sighed. He took the magazine from his lover and scanned through the pages before giving it back to Hermione. He absently dipped his fingers into the bag of crisps then suddenly yelped when he felt a sharp pain on his middle finger. 

Everything happened quickly. All Harry saw was Draco launching himself at Fred and the rest trying to break the two boys apart. Fortunately, the scuffle was brief and both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley remained unaware of the commotion in the living room as they were already asleep. 

"You…" Ron was breathing hard, face purple with suppressed anger. Draco's shirt had come out of his slacks and his long silver hair was messy. 

"Oh no…" Draco hissed. "You might want to ask _your _brother what in the hell was in the bag and look at Harry's missing finger…"

"Fred…" Ginny spoke in a very scary voice. She had been watching Harry all the while. True to Draco's word, Harry's finger was indeed missing. 

"Bloody hell!" Ron stared at Harry.

The raven-haired boy gulped, staring at his hand. _What in Merlin's name is happening? _His finger was missing but there was no blood. Queer. If it had been bitten or cut off, he should be able to see the bone. He wriggled his fingers experimentally. _Okay… _He concentrated on his middle finger and felt it move. _Well, it seems that something has gotten hold of the digit. That means my hand is still intact…_

"It is?" Draco stopped glaring at Fred and knelt next to him. 

"I think so… I feel like my finger is in a mouth of some kind…" Harry commented. 

"Good evening Ginny," Dumbledore's familiar, kind voice reached them. He was holding out his wand, eyeing Harry's hand in amusement. The wizard muttered something and pointed his wand at Harry. The boy winced when he felt teeth scrape his finger as it was released. 

"Bloody hell… That really hurts…" he muttered, shaking his hand furiously. He looked at the Headmaster. A huge toad was dangling upside down in midair. 

George watched the toad with narrowed eyes then looked around for the forgotten bag of crisps. Absently, he asked Hermione to charm away the bits of potato crisps that had scattered on the floor. 

"I don't bloody believe it," George swore. He was examining the bag which stated that the snack had a net weight of three hundred grams. 

"What's wrong?" Harry asked while Draco examined his hand critically. 

George stared murderously at the toad. "We've been cheated. Sir, how much do you think _that_ weighed?" 

"Approximately ninety grams?" Dumbledore gave his opinion. 

"Oh, Cereste is in big trouble…" The witch had recently set up a shop selling mainly foodstuff in Diagon Alley across from the twins'. "I knew that there was something suspicious about five bags of these for twelve Sickles," Bill moaned. 

**__**

"Drake, don't you think you'd better apologize to Fred?" Harry asked mildly but braced himself before hearing his lover's reply.

**__**

"To the twin, I have no qualms about it but you won't be hearing me apologizing to 'Ronniekins'…" His lover made a face and Harry sighed. He was about to gently chide his Slytherin counterpart when Dumbledore handed him a familiar looking letter. Ginny had already opened hers and was scanning the list with what looked like relief on her face. With the twins running their own business, the Weasleys did not have the financial problems that they had suffered when Ginny was about to start her first year at Hogwarts. 

Ginny had received her exam results a week after Harry's birthday. To her mother's delight, she had actually done well and was intending to specialize in the branch of Healing. As a result of her accomplishment, she received fifteen Galleons to spend as she pleased. She sat back and began calculating how much the supplies would cost, oblivious to the chattering around her. 

While Harry's friends were busy, Draco quickly went round to apologize to Fred. Ron didn't notice it since by the time his eyes searched for the Slytherin, the latter was already back beside his dark-haired lover, reading his own letter. 

"I didn't know that you are still taking Divination," Harry commented as he took a quick peek at Draco's list. His lover gave a small shrug. "Pharmacology…" 

Draco smiled and eyed him with a wicked glint. "Seems like we're going to have some competition later…" Harry laughed soundlessly. 

"Well… Somehow, science is more challenging than merely proving that my reflexes are better than yours…" Harry responded with a roguish smile. 

"Was that why you quit the team?" George asked curiously.

"No, the reasons are more complex than that."

"I see…" 

Dumbledore cleared his throat to get their attention. Ginny, Hermione, Draco, Ron and Harry watched him avidly. 

"Getting your supplies in Diagon Alley may be a bit dangerous," the old wizard said in a serious voice, "So I should like to remind you all to stay together as a group at all times. And always, always have your wands…"

"We will, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione responded. 

Dumbledore turned to Draco. "And you, young Draco. You will have to be even more careful. Being a Slytherin, and being in Harry's company likely will not gain you any favors. From either side." 

"I'll keep that in mind, sir. And I am unlikely to wander off into Knockturn Alley," Draco said. Though he had successfully hidden his worries about what might happen if the rest of Harry's friends bumped into them and saw Draco with him, Harry still managed to feel his uneasiness through the bond. 

"Try that and our mum will forget that you are not actually hers and she'll probably try to spank you," Fred said jokingly.

"That will be all. Stay safe." Dumbledore turned to go but stopped. He was muttering under his breath something relating to a Remembrall. "By the way, Harry, your godfather requested that I remind you to hang up Phineas's portrait."

"Oh damn… I had forgotten about that. So Remus has one too?" Harry asked, heading for the trunk that he had placed in a corner. He successfully retrieved the portrait and looked about the living room, wondering where he should hang it. 

"Hang it here, Harry," Bill suggested. Harry did as recommended and ignored Phineas's mumbles of being handled roughly. _I think it's time for someone to do Sev's portrait. _Harry filed that thought carefully in his mind. 

"Phineas," Harry spoke in a cool voice.

The portrait mumbled some more before replying, "Your message?" 

"Tell Sev that I'm fine. I'll be going to get my school supplies tomorrow, and I'll report again when I come back." Harry watched the figure disappear from the frame. 

"Weren't you being a little curt, Harry?" Hermione asked in a disapproving voice.

"I was just teasing him! He knows it!" Harry protested.

Dumbledore finally said goodbye to them and Bill decided that it was time for all of them to take to their beds. The five students got up and began to make their way upstairs. Hedwig followed her owner automatically, flapped her wings lazily and landed carefully on Harry's floating trunk. The humans walked up the zigzagging staircase slowly, keeping the noise down to a minimum. 

"'Night, Ron. Good night to the both of you," Hermione said as she opened the door to the room that she shared with Ginny.

"Goodnight," the three boys replied at the same time. 

Draco went off to his own bed, not looking back. Harry felt a little disappointed that his lover had not even suggested him creeping into the bedroom while his friend slept. Ron stopped him before he could enter the room he was supposed to share with his best friend. 

"Do you really want to share the room with me?" Ron asked bluntly. Before Harry could answer, Ron grabbed his shoulders and pushed him gently toward Draco's room. "He needs you more than I do," was all he said. Harry stared at him dumbly. 

"I'm not pushing you away or anything," Ron continued, and his eyes went unfocused. "Though honestly, it's really weird that you are paired up with the git, I guess he's not that bad if he's your boyfriend. I know I would have probably done something violent if _Snape _hadended up being yourboyfriend."

"Ron… I don't know what to say," Harry said in a hushed voice but Ron waved his hand negligently. 

"Just trying to be understanding, mate. Go on and get some sleep. You probably have some things to discuss with him before we all head down to Diagon Alley tomorrow anyway."

"Right…" 

"Harry…" Ron called out. "Try not to do anything strenuous." 

"Ron!" Harry suddenly felt hot with embarrassment. 

His friend suddenly froze. "He isn't listening to us right?" Harry paused to check. Then he shook his head. "Good… I was afraid that he might try to seduce you without consent. I'll see you in the morning, Harry." 

Harry was left staring at the empty corridor. The sound of Ron's door closing echoed eerily. Hedwig hooted impatiently and he moved the trunk and its rider toward Draco's door. He walked until he reached it and before he could knock on the door, it opened. 

Draco was not expecting the trunk or Harry, given the surprised expression on his face. "Harry, what are you doing?" the silver-eyed boy asked.

"I'm going to sleep on _that _bed," Harry answered, pointing at the bed with his chin. 

"Your friend must have gone mental," Draco whispered but stepped aside to let him through. Harry smiled wickedly, making Draco a little nervous. The Slytherin stood at the door, watching his every move. While his lover went to visit the bathroom, Harry made himself at ease and was careful not to wake Draco's sleeping owl as he opened his trunk to get his sleeping and travel clothes out. He was hanging the clothes he would be wearing tomorrow on the back of a chair when the slight creak of the door caught his attention. 

In a light tone, Harry said, "I'll be back in a moment. Why don't you warm the bed?" 

**********

****

Fifteen minutes later…

When Harry came back into the room, he found Draco sitting on the bed, staring at Hedwig as she _preened _Helios's neck-feathers. Draco's eyes lit up at his presence. 

"I thought she didn't like him," Draco commented and Harry gave a small shrug. He carefully folded his garments and placed them neatly inside a special bag where they would remain until it was time for him to do his laundry. He felt Draco's presence behind him but he still shivered when he felt hands on his neck. He looked down and saw the black chain Sirius gave him. 

"Dumbledore said that it's all right for you to have it back." Draco kissed his cheek soundly. 

"Did he say anything about it?" Harry asked.

"Nothing substantial," came his lover's reply. Draco was tugging him to the bed. As they crawled in, the candles that illuminated the room winked out and disappeared. Wrapped about each other, the two lay down in silence. As young as they were, things gradually grew interesting as time passed. 

At one point, Harry paused, looming over Draco. His hands never stopped caressing Draco's exposed skin. His lover was panting and his eyes were wide as he stared up. **_"Are you sure about this?" _**Harry asked, letting his hands roam over Draco's chest, then move upwards to the pale shoulders, and then down again. 

**_"Are you thinking of quitting halfway?" _**Draco struggled to sit up but Harry pinned him down. 

"Hell no…" Harry answered in a husky voice. _But go slow... _He reminded himself repeatedly. However, it was easier said than done. Especially when Draco, _his _Draco, lay exposed on the bed, wanting nothing but him. 

"Harry…" Draco whispered urgently then suddenly moved against him. Harry let out a whimper when he suddenly found himself penetrating a delicious warmth. The Slytherin fell back onto the bed, suddenly overwhelmed by exquisite sensations. Harry took over from there. Thirty minutes later, with Harry lying on the bed and Draco sitting atop of him, their cries of pleasure echoed around the room. Thankfully, they went unheard outside the bedroom due to the heavy-duty Silencing Charms Draco had cast. Both of them slowly calmed but by that time, the two of them were so highly sated that they were finding it impossible to stay awake much longer.

**_"Green-Eyes… what are we to do?" _**Draco asked worriedly, collapsing beside Harry. 

**_"I don't know… I can't move…" _**Harry groaned. 

**_"We have to … Ginny always barges in here early to wake me up… We shocked her with news that we're together… I don't really want her to be struck catatonic by our current state of dishabille; it indicates that we've been _together_…" _**the Slytherin fretted.

**_"Then I guess we have to clean ourselves up… get dressed… and play innocent…" _**Harry sighed as he sat up. **_"But Merlin knows I'd rather stay here in the nude with you on the bed…"_**

"Oh? Are you that much of an exhibitionist?" Draco teased and Harry slapped him lightly on his arm.

**_"As much an exhibitionist as Sev's photogenic,"_** he grumbled.****Much to his discontent, Draco chuckled continuously as he helped Harry clean the bed up. That stopped when Harry kissed him. 

With a murderous look, Harry sent him a thought, **_"Get to sleep, Drake…" _**

"Only if you wrap me in your arms…"

"Merlin… you're truly impossible…" 

**********


	13. Dancing Veelas and Ghostly Guardians

****

~ Chapter 13: Dancing Veelas and Ghostly Guardians ~

Saturday, 16th August. At cockcrow.

Ginny grumbled noisily to herself, waking her roommate. Hermione sat up, watching the slowly brightening room sleepily. She stretched and encountered a warm lump near her feet. It was vibrating and purring. 

"Good morning, Crookshanks," Hermione greeted her pet, pulling off the blanket to reveal the hidden cat.She chuckled under her breath. Even he seemed a little reluctant to get up. 

Ginny gave a loud yawn and blinked her eyes a couple of times. "What time is it?" she asked sleepily. 

"Nearly five…" 

"It's too early… I think I'm going to sleep some more…" Ginny reached out for the bolster and curled up on her bed again. Hermione got up lazily and sat on Ginny's bed. 

"Don't you want to disturb Draco?" Hermione hugged a pillow to herself as she watched Ginny flip over onto her back to stare at the ceiling. 

"I do, but…" Ginny's voice trailed off. Hermione shook the girl's ankle to get her attention.

"But what?" the older girl asked. 

"Harry's in there, you know…" Ginny answered in a preoccupied tone. 

"Wait a minute!" Hermione's eyebrows shot up. "I thought he's sharing the room with Ron!" 

"He didn't… I checked Ron's room when I visited the bathroom earlier. Harry's trunks weren't there either…" Ginny asserted. Hermione was somewhat shocked at her friend's discovery. 

"Ginny…" Hermione began slowly, "do you think they… they bonded?" 

"Had sex you mean?" Ginny asked bluntly. Hermione tried to keep herself from laughing as the younger girl rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Okay… whatever. Do you think they did it?" Hermione asked again, eyes darkening with speculation. 

"Why the hell not?" Ginny smirked. "It makes the pairing stronger, you know. Maybe you and Ron should try it…" 

"Ginny!" Hermione hit the girl with the pillow, her face growing as red as the Weasleys' hereditary hair color. They engaged in a pillow fight for several minutes until both ended up laughing until they cried. She and Ginny had grown rather close over the years, more so since Sirius's death. Ginny had a tendency to go to her whenever the girl had problems, be it over schoolwork or relationships. Furthermore, the older girl often spent her holidays with the Weasleys and she treated Ginny like the sister she never could have. Hermione gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"Well… I'll go first and wash up," she said brightly. "You can try and sleep if you want."

"After giggling so hard? I think not…" Ginny made a face as she began to tidy up her bed and Hermione's. 

**********

****

Forty-five minutes later…

Hermione and Ginny skulked along the corridor. They first checked in Ron's room. Since the sun had risen, they could see that the bed beside the boy was indeed empty and unused. Hermione was tempted to wake her boyfriend but decided it would be a bad idea to let him know she had caught him snoring. 

They finally stopped at Draco's bedroom door. 

"It feels rather eerie waking up this early in the morning… And with Fred and George going off to work early…" Hermione whispered. The Burrow was silent except for the sounds of chickens in the yard.

"You'll get used to it, though it did take me a bit of time to grow used to their absences in here," Ginny confessed then made a signal for Hermione to keep quiet. Both pressed their ears against the door. 

"Too bad I didn't think to leave one of the twins' Extendable Ears in there…" Ginny muttered to herself. 

"I don't think it would have made any difference," Hermione's response was barely audible. 

"The Silencing Charms." Ginny's face lit up with understanding. "Ready?" Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm going to be really loud," the redheaded girl added as a precaution. "I just hope Draco's not really serious about sealing the room after my frequent morning visits…" 

Within seconds, Ginny barged into the room. She took only a moment to study the tangle of limbs before jumping on the edge of the bed and shaking the boys' ankles. 

"Ginny…" Draco groaned and attempted to shake off the girl's hand. "Go away and disturb someone else…" The Slytherin snuggled closer to Harry who was still asleep. 

"Come on guys! Wake up! We're going shopping!" Her shaking became more insistent and Harry finally showed signs of stirring. 

"Bloody hell… It's too early…" Harry mumbled. Instead of waking however, he pulled Draco closer to him. 

Hermione, who had been standing by the door, watched the three in amusement. She tread in softly and shook Harry. She was relieved that both boys were still dressed and that she couldn't smell anything associated with lovemaking. She also noticed that Draco had returned the black chain to its owner. "Get up, lovebirds," she said in an affectionate tone. Harry turned his head to blink up at her owlishly. She smiled in return. "I shouldn't have been surprised to learn that Ron actually let you spend the night with him." 

"He's my best friend," Harry mumbled sluggishly.

"And I love him for that…" Draco's muffled reply reached their ears. 

"You two _didn't_!" Ginny began to shake them roughly. 

"Sorry, Ginny-lassie…" Draco's muffled voice spoke up. "But I can't seem to keep my hands off my precious one…"

"Ginny-lassie?" Hermione asked, her voice trembling with mirth. 

"You two better get up or I'll start tickling!" Ginny warned. Draco immediately sat up and backed as far away from the girl as he could. Harry propped himself up on an elbow and looked curiously at his silver-eyed lover. 

"You're ticklish?" Harry asked in a bland tone. 

"Don't you dare…" Draco glared at him, fully awake. Then he looked at Ginny as if studying her. "Aren't you shocked?" 

"Shocked about what?" Ginny asked in puzzlement. 

"That we did _it_…" Draco's cheeks went pink as he said it, glancing down at Harry who was looking at him with a peculiar expression. 

"Not really…" Ginny smiled faintly. Then in a serious tone she asked, "Who went on top?"

"Ginny!" Hermione gasped, dragging the girl out of the room. 

"I'm just curious!" Ginny wailed. 

"That's private!" Hermione admonished. 

"But it'd be fun to know!" 

**********

Harry chuckled, listening to the voices of the two girls fade as they went down to the kitchen. Eventually he sobered and looked up at his lover. Draco was smiling at him mischievously. Harry had had plans on how he should wake up but it looked like his lover had been telling the truth when he said that Ginny would enter the room in the morning. Harry was rather glad that he hadn't done anything. 

**_"Was Ginny wondering about who's dominant in this relationship?" _**Draco asked as he enfolded Harry in a warm hug. 

Harry sighed contentedly and kissed Draco's cheek. **_"I think so… What do you think?" _**

Draco shrugged. His eyes were gleaming wickedly and Harry felt something stir inside him. _Maybe we can have quick one…_

"My… Aren't you feeling lusty this morning…" Draco murmured into the mess of black hair. 

"Aren't you enjoying it?" Harry asked innocently. Draco did not answer but proceeded to show Harry just how much he enjoyed it.

**********

****

Several hours later…

Everyone was crowded in front of the fireplace in The Burrow. Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt had come by earlier to check up on them before Apparating directly into Diagon Alley. As planned, Ron's parents went through the fireplace first, followed by Charlie, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Harry, and Bill. The house-elves were left behind to keep an eye on The Burrow. 

Draco, in nondescript dull gray robes, blended in with the rest of them. The Leaky Cauldron was teeming with witches and wizards. Quite a number of them were students; it seemed that they had taken Dumbledore's advice to go in groups while they get their supplies. 

"First stop: Gringotts," Bill said as he looked around. "Let's go." Bill and Charlie took the lead while the their parents took the rear. Even at ten in the morning, the street was already bustling with potential customers. Harry felt a pang as he remembered just how it had felt to be in Diagon Alley for the first time. 

"Maybe we should have dyed or charmed your hair first, Draco," Charlie whispered into the Slytherin's ear. "I've spotted some of the Dark Lord's followers… not the Inner Circle of course…" 

At that, Harry and Draco began scanning the crowd. 

**_"Charlie's right… Silvery blond hair is not that common here, especially for someone as young-looking as you are…" _**Harry said worriedly. 

**_"Green-Eyes, you're making me nervous," _**Draco informed him. Harry chose that moment to squeeze his lover's hand briefly. Mrs. Weasley noticed it and hid a smile. 

The group soon reached the bronze doors of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. While Bill and Charlie escorted Hermione to the exchange counter, the rest followed a Gringotts goblin. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stayed close to Draco as numerous pairs of small beady eyes studied them walking across the hall. They were led first to the Weasleys' vault where Mrs. Weasley scooped a handful of Galleons then deposited them into a pouch. When they came to Vault 687, Harry glanced nervously at Draco as the door was opened. 

**_"Not bad…" _**Draco eyed the mound of Galleons in interest. **_"Your parents were extremely good at financial planning, I must say…"_**

"Thanks…" As they returned to the main hall, Harry pressed a small bag into Draco's palm. **_"I don't want you to be embarrassed should you come across some Slytherins later…" _**

"Thank you, Green-Eyes," Draco answered gratefully and quickly hid the pouch in his inner pocket.****

As beautiful the sight of Galleons was to their eyes, they felt a lot happier once they emerged from the marble building. Hermione, Bill and Charlie were already waiting for them outside near the marble steps and they headed to Madam Malkin's since Ginny needed new robes. The group of nine then split up between Flourish and Blotts, the stationery shop beside it, and watching the entrances. Tonks, in disguise again, pretended to study book displays as she stood guard with Bill and two other members of the Order. 

**__**

"Damn…" Draco cursed as he, Harry, Hermione, Charlie and Ron went into the bookstore. Harry didn't have a chance to ask as the manager diverted his attention.

"Ah, Mister Potter. And Mister Malfoy," the gray-haired wizard looked surprised to find the Slytherin amidst the group. However, Harry knew that the wizard was even more surprised by the fact that his lover and his best friend weren't squabbling. Draco nodded curtly in greeting. "Come over to the counter, please." The group followed. "I'll have a look at your booklists…" 

One by one, the teenagers handed their lists over to the wizard. After checking their lists for several minutes, he directed his assistant to gather the advanced books for the seventh-years while he collected the books Ginny needed. Charlie went to help the manager while the rest followed the manager's assistant to the back of the bookstore. Soon, all of them were loaded down with heavy books. Of them all, Hermione alone looked happy about it. Finally, while they waited for the manager to tally up their purchases, Harry asked his lover, 

**_"You sounded alarmed a few minutes ago. Why?" _**Harry tilted his head in inquiry as he watched the silvery-eyed Slytherin. 

**_"Blaise… he's here…" _**Draco answered and Harry followed his gaze. Blaise Zabini was staring raptly at them while his parents browsed through the bookshelf by his side. 

"Nine Galleons, sixteen Sickles and nineteen Knuts, please," the gray-haired wizard said, looking at Ron and Charlie. 

"It's great that Ginny could use some of our old books," Ron mumbled as Charlie paid the manager.

"It'll be twelve Galleons and thirteen Sickles for Miss Granger and Mister Potter," the manager said to both Hermione and Harry. Unlike Ron, both of them were taking N.E.W.T level Potions. "And eleven Galleons, fifteen Sickles and twenty-three Knuts, Mister Malfoy." 

Ron and Hermione stared at their raven-haired expectantly, but Draco took a pouch out and removed twelve Galleons from it calmly. The manager quickly gave him the balance and the five made a move to go.

"So you are not a pauper after all… My son brought us the news that you have been cast out by the Malfoys," a silky, soprano voice said smoothly from a corner of the bookstore. Draco and Harry turned at the same time. Mrs. Zabini, wearing expensive-looking dark blue sorceress's robes, a graceful pointy black hat and waving a lacy black fan on one hand, approached them gaily. Draco remained quiet as he watched Blaise and his father catch up with the finely dressed witch. 

**_"She gives the impression of a highborn," _**Harry commented. 

**_"She _is _a highborn,"_** Draco replied. He did not say anything to the Zabinis but greeted them with a slight inclination of his head. Harry's friends stood awkwardly behind them. Only Charlie looked unaffected by the Zabinis. 

To make the situation worse, Pansy Parkinson stepped in with Millicent Bulstrode. She was chatting with her friend until they caught sight of the platinum-headed Slytherin. They paled and gulped, probably recalling how Draco had caused his ex-girlfriend to lose consciousness on the train home that summer. Pansy's confidence was bolstered by her parents entering the bookstore. However, the couple took no notice of Harry's group and Pansy's mother quickly dragged the girl to the far-end of the shop. 

Mrs. Zabini looked at the Parkinsons with a raised eyebrow. She looked at her husband and asked, "Was that snub a deliberate attempt to annoy me, dear?" 

"How should I know?" Mr. Zabini answered with a question of his own. While his parents were occupied, Blaise took several steps forward and examined Draco.

"Are you all right?" he asked the Slytherin prefect while eyeing the Gryffindors warily.

"Certainly doesn't look like he's been starved…" Ron muttered.

"Ron!" Hermione warned sharply.

"I'm fine," Draco replied. His eyes drifted over to a pouting Mrs. Zabini. "Are you still neutral to the situation?" 

"No," Blaise's reply was soft. Ron visibly made a move to draw his wand out but Charlie gave him a stern look. 

"Come, Blaise. Sometimes I wonder if you have any friends…" Mrs. Zabini tucked her arm about her son's. 

"Dear, _we_ don't have friends," Mr. Zabini responded in a dry tone. 

"Rubbish! If we don't, then how in Salazar's name did I end up being _your _wife?" She brandished her fan at her husband. Turning, she stared deeply into a pair of silver eyes. "_You _shouldn't be here with them _today_," she spoke to Draco in a soft whisper. "You know that _they _will come to _kill."_ The Zabinis left. Hermione's eyes narrowed at the witch's words, Charlie looked on impassively, Harry frowned and Ron's face stiffened in anger. 

"Let's get out of here before your ex-girlfriend returns to the counter," Hermione suggested in a grim tone. Reunited with the other members of the group, they set off for the Apothecary.

"Hey Gin! Ginny!" 

"What the hell?" Bill and Ron scanned the crowd behind them. A group of dark green pushed their way through the mass of people to reach Harry's group. It was Dean, Seamus, Luna, Neville and Professor McGonagall.

**_"Bloody hell!" _**Draco swore. He quickly entered the unpleasant-smelling shop.

"Draco!" Mrs. Weasley called sharply. When the Slytherin showed no sign of hearing her, she threw her hands up in the air and followed him after quickly signaling to her husband that he should come with her. After a brief consultation with Bill, Mr. Weasley jogged a few steps to catch up to his wife. 

Dean saw it all. After embracing Ginny, Dean pulled Harry into the Apothecary so he could study Draco. The rest followed curiously. Ginny's boyfriend finally spoke in a whisper, "So, it's all true then. Malfoy _has_ been living with you guys."

Ginny exchanged a brief look with Ron before they nodded. Professor McGonagall came into view, looking slightly annoyed that the youngsters had left her behind. 

"Hello, Professor," Harry greeted the Transfigurations teacher. 

"Good morning, Mister Potter. I trust you no longer suffer from nightmares now that you are with the Weasleys?" she responded, adjusting her green hat. Her eyes narrowed at Ron when he snorted derisively. The tall Weasley gave a sheepish look. Though most of them had grown in height and towered over the teacher, she was still capable of intimidating them. 

"Not anymore, Professor," Harry agreed. "Ummmm… is there any particular reason why all of you are in green?"

"So it'll be easier for Professor McGonagall here to keep an eye on us… Although it does make us stand out, it's still rather easy to get lost in the crowd…" Seamus replied.

"Merlin! The stench in here is killing me!" Ginny groaned. "This is our last stop — "

"Same here." Luna interrupted, shifting her weight. 

"Then perhaps it might be better if we get our supplies before we have a chat," Hermione suggested and her friends nodded. 

**********

Neville, Ron, Dean, Charlie and Bill stepped out of the store, not willing to tolerate the unpleasant odor circulating in the Apothecary any longer. Professor McGonagall followed Harry and watched his movements closely. Hermione had already paid for her potion ingredients and was examining her surroundings when she happened to hear McGonagall let out a heavy sigh. The teacher was looking at Harry and Draco. Suddenly the witch turned and caught Hermione studying her. 

Professor McGonagall slowly made her way to Hermione. In a whisper, she asked, "Is it true that Potter and Malfoy… Are they really together?" 

"Why do you say that?" Hermione asked in a gentle voice. 

"Oh… it's nothing… Just that Albus told me that there might be something… Nothing strange really, considering... He told me that Severus and Remus have _finally_ gotten together… Those two had the longest crushes I have ever seen in my many years as a Hogwarts teacher… Always stealing glances but too afraid to do anything about it…" the witch spoke in a distracted tone. It took a while for Hermione to figure out who the 'he' was. She kept mum since the Transfiguration teacher seemed to be lost in thought. 

**********

Harry stood calmly beside his lover while he waited for his supplies to be packed. **_"Are you all right, Drake?" _**

"Yes, I'm fine, but why is McGonagall here?" The Slytherin looked at the teacher curiously. 

**_"Maybe it's because Dean's group doesn't really have a suitable escort… But I understand your feelings…" _**Harry had taken a bit of time to use Empathy on his lover. **_"It _is _strange for McGonagall to expose herself with several hidden Death Eaters here…" _**He mumbled a 'thank you' to the storekeeper as his ingredients were handed to him in a bag. Draco hung back as they approached McGonagall. 

"Mum, can we go and visit Fred and George before we go home?" Ginny asked with a pleading look. The plump witch sighed before nodding her approval. Professor McGonagall smiled faintly as they walked to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, occasionally bumping into more of their friends. Draco had a grateful look on his face when the newcomers left him alone but he was forced to walk alongside Bill. Seamus and Neville had taken up the spaces beside his lover and the Slytherin's mood began to darken. 

"Look who's here!" Fred called out happily from behind the counter the moment they entered. "Hello, Professor McGonagall! Would you care to try our latest product, guaranteed to grant you beautiful hair of your own choosing for a few hours?" 

"No, thank you, Mister Weasley," the witch answered quickly.

"Feel free to look around!" George yelled. He was on one of the ladders checking on their stock. 

"How's business?" Bill asked, since there weren't any customers besides them. 

"Going well… Don't worry, it's just a lull…" Fred said with a smile. Mrs. Weasley made herself comfortable by conjuring a couch in an empty corner by the window and beckoned Professor McGonagall to join her. The youngsters separated and went to explore the shop. Harry really liked being in the twins' shop. The atmosphere in it was cheerful and he could feel the mischief in the air. Although Fred and George could go a little too far with some of their pranks, the memory of them creating havoc in Hogwarts to infuriate Umbridge was something Harry could still laugh about. _Although I wished they had stayed in school… Maybe they should open a branch in Hogsmeade… _

Harry stopped and looked around for his lover. He heard the girls asking George about the mysterious package they had given him for his birthday present and George sounded a little surprised that Harry hadn't used it yet. 

"Why don't _you_ buy it?" he heard George asked the girls in a cheeky voice.

"Hey, I'm your sister! Can't I get it free?" 

"Fine, I'll give you one but you'll have to work for me…"

"There's no way I'm going to end up trying one of your new sweets!"

"No deal…" 

Harry chuckled lightly when Mrs. Weasley started yelling at her son not to influence his sister. He started walking, peeking over shelves; just when he was about to back up, he saw Draco. His lover was standing in front of a shelf that contained rows and rows of cans in different sizes. He zoomed in for a closer look. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Draco and carefully lifted one can. 

**_"It's too bad that there's a huge window beside you," _**his lover said, silver eyes looking at him fondly. **_"I just thought I saw the girl you were infatuated with walking past and she saw you. Perhaps she could be heading here?" _**

"You saw Cho?" Harry frowned and peered at the window. He couldn't see beyond it however; several witches had taken up the space and were holding a conversation. He suddenly felt a flash of annoyance from his lover. Draco had turned sharply and was watching something. It took a moment for Harry to realize that Cho was coming. The Slytherin beside him muttered something vile before stomping off to another corner, one that held cartons of different flavored sweets with unexpected results. 

Cho Chang shyly came into view, Hermione and Ginny following her cautiously. The two girls retreated to where Draco was and watched the ex-Ravenclaw suspiciously. 

"Hello Harry," Cho greeted slowly, standing before him awkwardly. 

"Hi there," Harry responded with a faint smile. _Yay. I don't feel anything nostalgic with her here in front of me._ "What are you doing now? Are you working?"

Cho shook her head. "Not yet, although I've had several offers to model for magazines. I'm on a break; I'll be going to Japan with my family next week." 

"I wish I could do that… I need a vacation…" Harry mumbled wistfully. 

"You _do_ look better," she complimented. "This is your last year so enjoy being a student while you can. Some of us are having problems finding a job but you don't have to worry about that for now…"

"Merlin knows I am not going to waste any time worrying about anything… except for Voldemort of course," Harry said, feeling slightly amused when he saw Cho pale at the mere mention of the Dark Lord's name. The two arrived at another awkward pause.

After several moments of staring uneasily at each other, the ex-Ravenclaw cleared her throat. "Look, Harry." Cho's eyes watered a little. "I just wanted to apologize for everything."

Harry was nonplussed. The girl spoke again.

"I was confused back then. After Cedric, I realized that I wasn't prepared go into another relationship. It's just that… I couldn't seem to understand you! You were so different!"

_Okay… What caused the outburst? _Harry wondered. 

"You were so withdrawn… There were times when I looked at you and saw you frowning…" She took a deep breath. "I like you a lot, Harry. The way I just brushed you off and went after Michael was a bad move. Can we just — AAAHHHH!!!" Her scream brought the twins running to her spot.

"Oi! What happened here?" Fred demanded.

"I didn't do anything!" Harry yelled, staring at the opened can in his hand in disbelief. He looked at Hermione and Ginny for help but they shrugged helplessly. Draco wasn't with them anymore. The moment Cho turned to face the shop owners, they and the two other girls burst out laughing. 

Cho looked like she was on the verge of crying. Before, she had been wearing simple sky-blue robes and had been make-up free. Now, every inch of her was covered with seductive, half-dressed dancing Veelas. Fred, in between fits of laughter, noticed that the unexpected package explosion had focused totally on the ex-Ravenclaw. Not even the tiled floor of the shop had dancing Veelas. 

Harry, still looking thoroughly shocked, rolled the can in his hand to read what was written on it. "Watch the Veelas dance on your bedroom wall," he said softly then strained his eyes to focus on the small print below it. _Not guaranteed to have the full magnetic effect of the species for obvious reasons. _His eyes moved on to the next written sentence. _Strictly meant for walls, ceiling, or floor. _

"Fred, how is _that_ going to come off her?" he asked in a very subdued voice. 

The Weasley swallowed his laughter and tried hard to put on a serious expression. Finally he said to Cho, "I don't think your parents would like seeing you in this state…"

"How…" The ex-Ravenclaw looked tearfully at the twins. 

"No worries… It will not be pleasant however…" George said warningly. "Charming the Veelas off you will be easy but taking the paint off is another matter. The only way to do it is by rubbing yourself with turpentine." 

"You can't be serious!" Hermione exclaimed. "Isn't it better if time wears it off?" 

"It will take _months, _Hermione," Fred replied gently. He turned to Cho. "For your lips, you'll have to use lipstick until it disappears."

"Harry?" Ron called out loudly. "We're going to leave soon! Draco bought some stuff. What about y—" His mouth fell open when he saw Cho's sorry state. "— Bloody hell!" His eyes moved downwards and he stared rudely at her chest. 

"Ronald Weasley…" Hermione hissed dangerously and her boyfriend blinked his eyes several times before glancing guiltily at her. While George led Cho to a hidden staircase which went to the twins' lounge, Fred herded the rest back to the counter. Draco was standing beside Bill and he seemed engrossed with the conversation between Charlie and the eldest of the Weasley siblings. Harry noticed that something was wrong right away. Although preoccupied with conversation, there was a smug look on his face. 

**__**

"Hello… Ron said that you bought something," Harry began as he approached the Slytherin slowly, **_"so what have you bought?" _**

His lover turned and smiled gently at him. **_"Well… I bought some interesting merchandise. Although my preferred style would be experimenting with my hexes. But most people know the counter-spells." _**The Slytherin shrugged. **_"It'll be fun to see Vince and Greg _**— **_No… I'd like to see Leren changing into a turkey in the Great Hall…" _**His eyes gleamed wickedly. 

Harry sighed. Draco had more to say however.

**__**

"Did you know that the twins actually got us a bottle of lubricant to try out?" 

"What?!" Harry yelled, scaring the daylights out of his friends. "Sorry… Just ignore me…" he mumbled. Ron looked suspiciously at the Slytherin. 

**__**

"Honeydew-flavor… Yummy… Luckily, Fred and George weren't the ones who made it…" Draco said as all of them went out of the shop. McGonagall's group finally parted ways with them to head for Aberforth's inn while Harry and company headed back to the Leaky Cauldron. 

__

Honeydew-flavored… Harry blushed suddenly and made an effort not to look at his lover. In order to distract himself from a myriad of delectable fantasies, he thought back to the accident in the joke-shop. 

"I bloody well have no clue how it happened," he muttered to himself. 

"Told you it wouldn't hit him," Ginny spoke in a triumphant manner to Hermione. The latter gave her a sarcastic look before turning to Harry. 

"Are you really sure you don't know how it happened?" his friend asked seriously. He nodded. "You're smart, Harry. Surely you noticed that magic was used to pop the can open…" 

__

Magic? That possibility didn't cross his mind before but he was too shocked to care. _But anyone could have done it! _The expression on his face was clear enough for Hermione to read. 

"Harry! The answer is so obvious!" she wailed. 

"What? Come on! I seriously haven't the faintest clue!" 

"Figure it out yourself," Hermione answered, holding her head high and regally stepping into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" she said clearly and disappeared in a vortex of green flame. 

**********

****

Tuesday, 19th August. The Burrow. 

It was early afternoon but Draco was already bored watching Hermione going through their schoolbooks or glancing over at his lover just to see the raven-haired Gryffindor defeated by Hermione's boyfriend for the fourth time. He looked around the almost inactive living room and sighed pensively. Ginny was outside hanging the laundry and he decided to help her.

He stepped out to study the redheaded girl tiptoeing as she pinned a long robe onto the clothesline. As she bent down to grab another robe, she saw him standing by the door. 

"Draco?" Mrs. Weasley's voice came from behind him. Her face showed signs of strain from carrying the huge laundry basket. "Do you mind helping Ginny?" He didn't reply but took the basket. He was glad that he was doing something at last and he felt a little happier feeling the wind blow about him. 

"Bored?" 

Draco shook himself out of his reverie to see Ginny smiling a little at him. He nodded. 

"If you were more muscular than you are now, Hermione would have called you a hunk," she commented without looking at him.

He made a face but wondered how Harry would feel if he_ did _developed a much tanner, broader and muscular body. 

**_"I like you the way you are…" _**his lover's thought filled the silence of his mind. **_"So you can forget about it…"_ **Draco chuckled to himself. 

****

"Anyway, don't even think about gaining more weight and filling those cheekbones out. Harry wouldn't like it," Ginny said. Then, glancing sideways to look at him, "Though you could do with a little tan." She pouted her lips. "Are you using some whitener or something?" 

"No. Why do you ask?" Draco asked curiously. 

"Because you're so bloody fair," Ginny answered in an envious tone. He smirked and she pretended to throw her basket at him. Ron came out of the house, holding several pairs of degnoming gloves. He looked sullenly at Draco as a pair of gloves was handed to the Slytherin.

**_"What brought you out?" _**he asked his lover quizzically. 

Harry laughed cheerfully. "Mrs. Weasley thought we were lazing about too much."

Hermione helped Ginny carry the baskets back into the house while the boys went into the garden. Draco stared up at a window thoughtfully. 

"Hang on… I think Helios should get some exercise." 

Draco returned with his disgruntled owl a moment later but the Slytherin was having none of it. Each time the owl stubbornly clenched his talons on his wrist, he jabbed Helios's belly with a finger. 

"Is he doing it for show or what?" Ron asked in amusement. 

"I don't think so," Harry replied. "I suspect he spent a lot of time with his owl when he was at the Manor. Helios is well-disciplined." 

"Hedwig too. At least she takes your commands seriously," Ron mumbled darkly. 

Draco, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up after successfully coaxing Helios to fly around and harry some gnomes. "That's because Green-Eyes is a serious person. Usually, your pets will sort of grow into you. The more time you spend with it, the better the rapport will be."

"Judging by the craziness of Pig," Ginny finally appeared with Hermione in tow, "I think your theory has a good foundation."

"Hey, are you saying that we're crazy?" Ron demanded. 

Ginny crossed her arms and answered slyly, "Aren't we?" 

"So you're saying that 'Mione's a busybody," Ron stated.

"I did not!"

"Well, you're the one who agreed on the theory."

"Would you rather I go back in the house and let you argue whether or not I'm a nosy wench?" Hermione asked indignantly. She released Crookshanks from her arms and the half-Kneazle went to join Helios in ferreting out the gnomes from the bushes. Harry and Draco slowly eased themselves away from the war-zone and concentrated on hauling out the gnomes infesting the garden. In the middle of working, Draco suddenly froze. Frowning, he looked around. His posture alerted the rest of them. 

"Draco?" Ginny asked in concern, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Something's not right but I can't put my finger on it," he answered seriously, scanning the landscape slowly. 

"Harry?" Ron looked at his friend who was taking off his degnoming gloves and reaching out for the ever-present wand. The rest followed the raven-haired Gryffindor's action. "I think we should go in and tell Mum." 

"Hey," Ginny spoke in a hushed voice. "Listen." They held their breaths, however, all was silent. 

Draco took a deep breath. "Green-Eyes, are you depressed?" 

His lover stared at him unblinkingly. "No… why?" The Slytherin did not answer, watching everything about him suspiciously.

**********

****

In the presence of the Dark Lord…

The smell of recent burning permeated the living room. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had moved into a Muggle house and killed the family residing there. Their advance had almost been thwarted when the oldest son fired his gun and killed two Death Eaters and wounded Lucius. However, there were too many of them and the boy was quickly overwhelmed by the men and women in masks. 

At the moment however, the Dark Lord was reclining on the couch watching the proceedings of the spellcasting in anticipation. Although he seemed to be in repose, he was anything but. Voldemort was feeding his followers with his magical energy in the hopes that they would be able to kill the people who had constantly interrupted his plans. The Dark Lord ignored the fact that there were guardians from the Netherworld defending The Boy Who Lived and those around him. It had been confirmed when Narcissa tried to force an attack on her son four days earlier. The only thing that mattered to him was that he had found a way to penetrate Dumbledore's strongest defences and now had a chance to issue a mass attack. The Dark Lord had done a little research on astral projections; coupling the theory with several spells of invincibility, he was confident that any spells used against them would be useless. Had he finally come up with something that would finish off Harry and the people the Gryffindor cared about or would the boy evade death again? 

**********

****

In Lupin's small house…

Snape stirred the drink with his wand as he swiftly climbed the stairs into Lupin's bedroom. Opening the door, he saw that his lover was already on the bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. 

"Remus," he called softly as he sat on the edge of the bed. Mindful of the wand in his hand, he carefully lifted his lover's head. "You ought to drink this." 

The D.A.D.A. professor groaned, his face showing signs of weariness. The previous night had been a full moon. Coupled with nights of insomnia, the transformation back into his human form had not been easy. 

"Sev, let me sleep…" his tired lover mumbled. "I still don't understand why you chose to stay with me when you could have gone to the Headquarters and not have to worry about getting bitten by me…" 

"Remus, we have been through this several times. I wanted to stay with you and it is good that I have done so. Look at you: you can barely move, let alone defend yourself," Snape said firmly. Lupin finally managed to sit up and began to drink from the cup. When he was finished, the Potions Master tucked the half-naked wizard back into the bed. "Sleep now. I will wake you up when lunch is done." 

Lupin was staring up at him, brown eyes clear and alert. The wizard reached out one hand and traced his chin softly with his fingers. Without being asked to, Snape leaned forward and kissed his lover. When he withdrew, Lupin was smiling brightly albeit a little sleepily. 

"You know, Sev," the resting wizard began in a whisper, placing his fingers to the back of the Potions Master's neck, "you could just stay here and pamper me…" 

"_Cooking_ is a method of pampering you," Snape answered sarcastically. 

Lupin sighed then pulled on his neck gently for another kiss. "Well… Go ahead and cook… If you happen to finish early, do come in and disturb me," the hazel-eyed wizard whispered roguishly.

"Insatiable…" Snape muttered under his breath.

With eyes closed, Lupin replied with a crooked smile, "Yes, I'm that... But only for you."

Snape left the room quickly before he could be tempted to change his mind about preparing lunch. As usual, the moment Black saw him making his way to the kitchen, the cat attached himself to his leg before jumping ahead and settling on the window ledge. 

He was in the middle of cutting some capsicums when he heard his lover shout. The Potions Master froze and his eyes drifted over to the staircase leading to the bedroom. Hawke, who had been dozing on a perch just at the base of the staircase immediately flew off. 

Hawke's cries joined Lupin's curses as the owl launch an aerial attack on the sudden intruders. It was only then that Snape realized that the house was under attack. His silky black robes swirled about him as he dashed upstairs and lobbed off a Blasting Curse at the two targets in his range. When the spell did not give the results he expected, he swore, seeing that his enemies were blown out of proportion. 

In moments, he had blasted the door open and Lupin came running out, showing signs of burns on his torso. Hawke followed a moment later after finding that pecking his opponent's face did not give any results. 

"Sev! Get out! The spells won't work on them!" Lupin yelled and shot off an Impediment Curse on their opponents to slow them down. They hastily retreated. 

They soon reached the door. 

"Go first! I will catch up with you!" Snape quickly ran back to Lupin's study. "Phineas!" he called sharply and the figure was jolted awake with a touch of Snape's wand.

"What?" the portrait asked in annoyed tone.

"Run!"

"What?!" the figure frowned. His eyes widened when he saw Snape's lips moving. The wizard was preparing to incinerate the portrait. In a second, Phineas's figure was gone. A meow distracted the Potions Master. He quickly picked his cat up and moved on after making sure that the portrait was thoroughly destroyed. He couldn't bear the thought of Voldemort finding the whereabouts of the Headquarters or his cottage. 

He quickly ran into the forested area, hoping that the attackers hadn't thought of putting forces in there. It was not to be since he heard more shouts. He threw his cat off and Black cried sharply at the sudden movement. He stared at his master. 

"Go, you idiotic cat!" Snape barked out. Black jumped a bit before bolting into the cover of the trees. The Potions Master hoped that his owl was safe and not thinking about joining the fray with the mass of cloud-like figures. As he was running he suddenly felt pain go through his body before his knees gave way. He fell face down, not able to move. Another wave of pain stabbed through him. _Remus…_

Straining with effort, Snape lifted his face. He became disheartened when he saw his lover in the hands of several Dementors. The apparitions closed in on the D.A.D.A. professor. Even from where he lay, Snape could see that his lover was exhausted. Lupin couldn't concentrate on defending himself. _Merlin… not him…_

Then he felt hands on his robes and he was hauled up to his knees. He found himself staring into a skeletal face. _Too close…_ His wand was swiftly pried out of his fingers and he saw it being thrown away. His eyes darted back to the Dementor. 

_"Expecto Patronum!" _Snape heard Shacklebolt's command. The Dementor swiveled its head, however, it wasn't swift enough to save itself from the charging Patronus. Snape fell back; still weak from the spells that had immobilized him. Shacklebolt, Tonks and Dumbledore appeared, running toward him. The female Auror quickly fetched his wand and gave it back to the Potions Master. She stood by his side and went into her defence mode. 

Snape got shakily to his feet but was strong enough to control his Patronus. His panther crept forward, tensing its muscles to prepare for a charge. 

"Step away from the professor," Dumbledore said calmly. His own Patronus, an enormous eagle, hovered above his head. When the Dark Creatures did not show any sign of retreating, Fawkes and his Patronus soared several feet higher and disappeared from view. The Dementor standing the furthest from the Headmaster did not see its assailants. Like the phoenix, Dumbledore's Patronus could materialize out of thin air. The three other wizards sent their own Patronii to scatter the others that were still a threat to Lupin. 

Snape narrowed his eyes when one of the misty forms wavered and Bellatrix appeared out from one of them. She pointed her wand menacingly at the back of his lover's head. 

"Why have you come here, old man?" The witch sneered. "Isn't the Gryffindor boy more important than a mere werewolf?" She raked her fingers over Lupin's hair and yanked hard on it. Snape saw Dumbledore start. "Every spell created has a counter-spell, Dumbledore… My Master is so brilliant to have thought about attacking in this form…Invincible… Unassailable…" 

Tonks paled as she quickly thought about her relatives in The Burrow. Snape blanched, quickly suppressing his fury at the thought of his godson in danger. Being overwhelmed by bloodlust wouldn't help his lover; he needed to be able to think clearly. 

Rabastan Lestrange appeared as suddenly as Bellatrix did. "Bella! Abort! We've got to return!" he commanded sharply.

"No…" The witch's eyes blazed with madness. Heart-stopping screams suddenly pierced the air and there were blurry movements about Lupin. "Rabastan!" Bellatrix yelled, reappearing some distance away from the injured professor. The smoky cloud around the injured professor intensified and she recognized it as the one that was responsible for her husband's death. "Rabastan!" the witch shrieked his name again but there was no reply. 

"Where is he?" a Death Eater demanded upon materializing. 

"I don't know…" Bellatrix's voice trailed off, backing up against a tree. 

_"Playing with death, Bellatrix?"_ a female voice asked in a deceptively sweet voice. 

"You…" the female Death Eater whispered. "Where is Rabastan?"

_"Dead? Like you said, Bella… 'Every spell has a counter-spell'… And this is one of them… Maybe not really a spell, but as long it gives us the desired results…" _Behind the pale form of Dorcas Meadows, were the Prewett brothers. They were smiling evilly at the clump of Death Eaters. A whirlwind of dark force was building up with Lupin at its center. 

"No…" Bellatrix turned to run but Fabian Prewett caught her. The force of the whirlwind quickly pulled her in. One by one, the guardians disappeared as the maelstrom sucked them in. Meadows was the last to depart, smiling sadly at the four figures standing in the clearing before turning into tiny motes of light.

**********

****

At the same time…

Voldemort snarled when Lucius snapped awake and checked the pulses of his fellow Death Eaters. When the elder Malfoy reported to him that twelve of his followers were already dead, Voldemort quickly issued a command for everyone to return to their bodies before they could suffer the same fate as Bellatrix. It proved to be too late as Wormtail cried for him. 

"Master!" Voldemort quickly strode forward and sent a bolt of lightning over Wormtail's body. Peter Pettigrew gasped aloud then quickly sniveled at his Master's feet, thanking the Dark Lord profusely. Lucius went round checking the status of the other group. He shook his head wearily, softly whispering that they had lost two more of their number. The Death Eater seemed strangely relieved when his wife gasped and quickly sat up, panting heavily and demanding water. Voldemort fisted his fingers so hard that his nails cut deeply into his palms. Again, Harry Potter and the cunning Headmaster had thwarted his plans, this time by having the dead on their side. 

**********

****

Over at The Burrow.

Draco and Ron carefully helped Harry to his feet. Ginny had broken her wrist and cracked several ribs when one of the doppelgängers threw her against a wheelbarrow. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley huddled close to her in an attempt to defend the girl. Hermione's hand was shaking, still pointing her wand in the direction of where the mass of guardians had suddenly circled Harry and Draco before the vortex of energy appeared.

The unsmiling forms of Moody and Sirius stood before them. Harry was too exhausted to think about the presence of his first godfather. The latter slowly approached them but his eyes were fixed on Draco. 

_"I need your help, Slytherin," _Sirius said simply. 

"My help?" Draco asked nervously. 

_"I want Wormtail…" _Sirius whispered. _"I want to take him away… so that he cannot escape from justice… so that he will not be able to betray your trust again…" _

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked in puzzlement. "We're not negotiating with _him_ or anything…"

_"I saw the Future… Wormtail, he is a cunning man. He has a touch of Empathy too… He could use your feelings against you…" _Sirius explained, still staring at Draco.

"But how am I to help you?" the silver-eyed Slytherin asked. 

It was Moody who answered. _"Harry simply has no energy left to spare… Energy is all we need…" _

"Wait," Hermione began in a tremulous voice. "Sirius, you don't mean that we'd be tampering with the future… It could lead to disastrous results…"

_"There are things that can be altered… and there are some that can't be, Hermione…" _Sirius said kindly. Mrs. Weasley couldn't hold her tears and began sobbing aloud. _"Will you help?" _

Draco studied the ghost before nodding his agreement. Before he knew it, he was in a trance and everything else had faded from sight. It seemed as if he had been suspended in his own mind forever when they finally made a breakthrough. _Astral projection, _came the unbidden thought. 

_"Not really… You still can use your wand and your powers… Stole the idea from Voldemort. Just as long as he doesn't have ghosts on his side, you should be safe…" _

Draco gave Sirius a sidelong glance before focusing his attention on the Dark Lord. He felt somewhat satisfied when he saw his father staring at him in profound amazement. The look on Wormtail however was unadulterated terror. 

Moody cackled madly in the background and several Death Eaters who recognized him quickly ran from the room. Sirius did not smile but stared penetratingly at the friend who betrayed him and his. 

_"Your time's up, Peter…" _Moody's face became grave and he quickly threw himself on the small wizard. The two vanished into the vortex. Sirius turned his attention to the Dark Lord. _"And yours will come soon…" _

Draco had focused his attention on his father while Sirius spoke to Wormtail. Just before Sirius pulled him to go back through the vortex, he managed to set fire to the couch. It soon began to spread. 

Sirius led Draco back to his body. _"I want to ask another favor of you… Always stick by Harry… And tell Snivellus that I'm grateful…" _

When Draco came to, Sirius and the vortex were already gone, leaving him in the arms of his lover. 

"What happened?" he asked. 

"I don't know…" Harry whispered in reply. He had been crying and Draco slowly wiped the remaining tears from the boy's face. **_"He said he'll always be with me… until the day that I die…" _**

"He told me to stick close to you… Always…" Draco squeezed his lover gently. 

**_"I hope you'll do that…" _**Harry hugged him. Draco smiled, pulled his lover's hand and kissed the palm gently. 

Several hours later while Madam Wisp attended Ginny's hurts, Dumbledore arrived with Snape and rounded the students up to begin an interrogation. Mrs. Weasley managed to ask the Potions Master about Lupin and he quickly told the rest of them that the Defence professor was in hospital to be treated for minor burns. Harry leaned against his godfather for support as Dumbledore began to question them intently.

"How in Merlin's name did the Dementors manage to find a way in?" Bill demanded, slamming his fist on the table. 

"Bill," Mr. Weasley said, looking at his son warningly. 

Several minutes later, Hermione spoke in a shocked voice. "Someone brought them in!" When the rest looked at her doubtfully, she quickly elaborated, "The protections are made up so that only the people that are supposed to be here could enter right? Rita Skeeter couldn't…"

"Fudge?" Ron frowned, remembering that the Minister was seen in the village five nights earlier and had continuously visited the area all summer. He had even dropped by the Weasleys once, but he hadn't acted in a suspicious manner. 

"Damn!" Snape swore, sprinting out of the house quickly. Surprisingly, Dumbledore followed him.

"What on earth is up with those two?" Ron asked in aggravation. Ginny entered, lightly bandaged. 

"I thought Remus was with him…" she mumbled almost to herself. 

"No… he is at St. Mungo's…" Bill replied.

"Harry…" Draco shook his lover lightly. 

"Let's go after Sev. He _is _distraught over something…" Harry said grimly. The group of teenagers used their pets to search for the wizards and finally found them near an inactive well. Draco was the first to reach Snape and heard the wizard speaking gravely to Dumbledore, 

"This is bad, Headmaster… His condition is similar to what happened to Diggle…" 

"Bloody hell!" Ron swore; Harry's matching sentiments quickly followed. Lying on the grass, eyes glazed and foaming at the mouth, was the Minister. When Dumbledore finished examining the man, he sadly concluded that Fudge had been Kissed.

"What's going to happen now?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"Be damned if _I_ know," her boyfriend answered, looking a little sick. 

**********

Firesword: Sorry to have taken so long to update! Chapter 14 is still being written. I've been a little low this past few days but I think I would update the next chap sometime next week. But that has to depend on whether my betas have the time to look into it… 


	14. The Tension Within

****

Firesword: Sorry that I took such a long time to update! But this time, you don't have to wait for 15 & 16 because they are already beta'd and ready for you guys to read!

****

~ Chapter 14: The Tension Within ~

The details of what had happened to the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and Dedalus Diggle were heavily covered up but the wizarding community could not help fearing the worse. A few uneasy days later, things began to change, but not for the better. Some Ministry officials deemed the placing of their Aurors in service to protect The Boy Who Lived as a waste of manpower. Lupin, who was in St. Mungo's after the nerve-wracking skirmish with the Death Eaters, was outraged when Kingsley and Tonks told him about the Ministry's decision. The Defence professor was hospitalized for his burns and to make sure that he did not suffer any internal injuries. By the third morning, Lupin was awake and missing his black-eyed lover. 

The Potions Master would have gone to see his lover if Dumbledore had not given him strict instructions to stay out of sight and leave Lupin's safety in the hands of Tonks and Kingsley. Lupin's loss was Harry's happy gain. Snape came to The Burrow with the intention of staying for a couple of days. The rest were as enthusiastic as the emerald-eyed boy was. Hermione was particularly ecstatic since it meant that Snape would be able to lecture them about Salazar's book of defence magic. After many hours of research, the Weasleys and their surrogate family had managed to find some new ways to protect the village; a decision that was preferable to depending solely on Dumbledore's protection or that of the dead wraiths.

Due to the need to work longer hours at the office, Mr. Lovegood placed his only daughter under the Weasleys' care. At the end of his long work day, he would fetch her home personally. Being observant, Luna noticed that something strange had occurred between the two boys who had recently hated each other so intensely. She noted that every time Harry's eyes unfocused, Snape made him snap into attention by clearing his throat loudly. Then there was the time she caught Harry staring at the silvery-haired Slytherin dreamily during a storm. It was on one such evening that she asked Ginny about Harry's strange behavior.

**********

****

Sunday, 24th August. At the Weasleys'.

The boys were in the living room playing chess and Snape was in the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley. That left the three girls free to do anything they wanted. Hermione had conjured a desk for herself inside Ginny's room. She was reading up on her advanced Potions and taking notes while the two younger girls occupied the bed, going over their Herbology homework. 

The Ravenclaw studied Hermione for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Ginny, is Harry feeling all right?" The sound of scratching on parchment stopped. After a minute or so, the older girl resumed her work. 

Ginny looked at Luna warily. "Why do you ask?"

The Ravenclaw shrugged and stared at the redhead until the girl became uncomfortable. "I find his behavior around Snape almost disturbing," Luna said bluntly.

"Disturbing? How so?" Hermione asked mildly, eyes still on her book and scribbling madly on the yellowish parchment.

"It's like he's infatuated with the greasy git," the Ravenclaw replied impassively. 

Hermione turned and rested one arm on the back of her chair. She looked at Luna with an eyebrow raised. "They do act like they're rather close… but of course, Sev _is_ his _godfather…_"

"How in Merlin's name can he even think of being _close_ to _him_? I thought he hated Snape…" Luna muttered angrily.

"Loony," Ginny whispered when Hermione's expression hardened.

"Like most of us, Luna, Harry chose to grow up," the bushy-haired Gryffindor responded firmly. 

"But… It's mad. First Snape, and now Malfoy. And you act as if the Slytherins weren't awful to you in the past. Maybe you're just too forgiving!" Luna jumped off the bed and stared darkly at Hermione. 

"Are you listening to yourself, Luna?" Hermione was on her feet, glaring at the Weasleys' neighbor. "I think you ought to be thankful that we have at least one Slytherin on our side."

"Two Slytherins actually," Ginny corrected meekly, desperately hoping that the tension wouldn't increase.

"Sev's a teacher so he doesn't really count," Hermione answered. 

"Which reminds me," Ginny took the opportunity to change subject and ease the anxiety, "do you remember when you folks met the Zabinis in the bookstore?" When Hermione nodded, she continued, "What exactly did Draco mean when he asked whether Zabini was neutral?"

"To know whether his friend is on Dumbledore's side or not?" Hermione nibbled thoughtfully on her quill but shrugged in the end. "The Parkinsons seemed to be giving the Zabinis the cold shoulder," she commented.

"Aha! That means we have another ally in the midst of the Greenies… ah… I mean Slytherins!" Ginny clapped her hands cheerfully.

"Don't count the chicks until they have all hatched," Luna said as she sat down on the bed again. "_You_ are trying to change the subject," she accused Ginny.

"Hey! I had to!" the red-haired girl protested. 

"Harry is acting like he has a liking for the other side." When Hermione and Ginny exchanged a look, the Ravenclaw paled. "No…" she spoke in a hushed voice. "That can't be right…" Still, the two other girls remained mute. "_Draco?_" she squeaked. Her face contorted into an expression of disgust. 

"Just do _me_ a favor, Luna," Hermione began hotly. "If you have some sort of aversion to same-sex pairings, keep your thoughts to yourself. And mind you, don't even think about just how much the thought may disgust you. That's if… you respect Harry's feelings…"

"I don't think it would affect him all that much," Ginny inserted since Luna was speechless. "Charlie doesn't really like the fact that Harry and Draco are together, much less Remus and Prof — Sev. It's strange calling _him _that." Charlie, the second oldest of her siblings had gone back to Romania two days earlier to resume his duties. 

Hermione chuckled to herself. Like them trying to familiarize themselves with calling the Potions Master by his first name, Snape was also learning not to give them his trademarked death glares when they tried. Luna's awkward posture caught her attention. "Merlin… she's so shocked…"

Ginny blinked and stared at girl on the bed. "_Very _shocked. Damn… She looks like she's been hit by a Gorgon's Stare or something…" The redhead crawled over to Luna and shook the Ravenclaw's shoulders gently. "Hey Loony… Loony!" There was no response. Hermione and Ginny started when a louder than usual roll of thunder shook the house.

**********

Harry looked up from the recipe book that he had borrowed from Mrs. Weasley to read. He frowned because he thought he had heard something. 

"Goddamnyou…" Draco swore as he watched Ron's queen slay his knight. "Damn…" 

"Hey, count yourself lucky that money isn't involved in this," Ron smirked in satisfaction.

"Yeah, and you should count _yourself_ lucky since your mother is unaware of your gambling tendencies. Although the sound of your skull being smacked with a pan could be _very_ gratifying," Draco leered. He was happily smirking at the red-faced Weasley when he suddenly found his mouth stuffed full of chicken feathers. 

**_"Green-Eyes!" _**

Harry looked innocently back at his indignant boyfriend. Ron guffawed at the Slytherin as the boy spat out the feathers. Some of them hit Ron in the face.

"Disgusting!" the Weasley yelled before scrambling up to his feet and trying to wipe off the traces of saliva that hit him. 

"Drake, you surprise me," Harry said lightly and continued to read. "I thought you, of all people, wouldn't have spit out something. You act too bloody hygienic to do that." He heard the silvery-haired boy snort derisively. The squishy sound of wet boots snagged the boys' attention and they looked around for the source of the noise. Ron's eyes finally rested on a dark brown shape standing by the front door. Nothing really registered in his mind even though he could clearly see that the shape was dripping wet and that Black was twining himself around its ankles, purring loudly. The boy took two steps forward. The shape removed its hood. The straggly strands of graying brown hair and hazel-brown eyes revealed the person. It was the Defence professor. 

"Professor Lupin!" Ron exclaimed then rushed forward to help the wizard. Harry and Draco followed seconds later to greet the professor. 

"Remus, are you really all right?" Harry asked as he helped Lupin remove his waterproof cloak. 

"Yes, I'm fine, Harry. Don't worry. I didn't leave St. Mungo's illegally," Lupin replied jovially. "It's damn nasty weather to Apparate in but it's all I could do to escape being smothered by well meaning females." 

The raven-haired Gryffindor was about to ask what he meant by that when he noticed that Lupin's attention had wandered. Brown-eyes locked with those of the Potions Master; silence descended on them. Ron stood back and watched Lupin with a raised eyebrow, growing uncomfortable when the professor's eyes darkened with longing. When the older wizard approached his lover, the Weasley groaned. 

Draco chuckled under his breath when the two adult wizards kissed, oblivious to the world about them. Harry grinned from ear to ear but decided to focus his attention on a reddening Ron. 

"If you don't mind me saying so, _that_ is the most disturbing act I've ever witnessed," the Weasley said in a strained voice. 

"I don't know…" Harry responded in a dreamy tone. "It kind of turns me on…" His friend grew purple in the face. Lupin and Snape disengaged from their kiss and looked guiltily at them, but especially Ron.

"Don't say anything!" the Weasley responded, "Please."

"Remus! You're going to catch a cold, dressed like that," Mrs. Weasley chided the rain-soaked professor gently, ignoring the fact that Snape was holding onto his waist. "Come into the kitchen and have some tea. Severus, do you mind dealing with his trunk?"

"Sev, you don't really have to…" Lupin's voice trailed off as Ron's mother dragged him off insistently. 

**********

****

Upstairs in Ginny's room…

Hermione stretched in her chair and decided that she had done quite enough pre-revision for the evening. She turned sideways and watched the younger girls on the bed with a slightly amused expression. Luna had gotten over her initial shock and Ginny was trying to get the girl to remember that there were other boys to be infatuated with. 

"Like the twins?" Luna asked and her friend shrugged. "I lost Harry to another boy," she moaned. "A boy who is a Slytherin and someone whom I thought _he_ hated. I wonder what the new school year will be like with all these changes… And then, there's Snape and_ Lupin_?" The Ravenclaw's eyes were wide with shock. 

"I don't think they will do anything in public," Hermione said in a reassuring tone.

"It's not them I'm worried about," Luna answered, waving her hand dismissively. "I've heard rumors regarding the two professors… Of course, there are rumors about Harry and Malfoy too but I seriously thought Harry was… well… _straight_…"

"Rumors?" Ginny asked with a perplexed expression. "Spread by whom?" 

"Those rumors have been around for _years_!" Luna exclaimed, then corrected herself when Hermione gave a skeptical look, "Okay, I was exaggerating. But some of the rumors about Harry and Malfoy have been floating around since our third year…"

"Interesting…" Ginny scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "We never heard anything like that before but I have heard the rumor about Remus pinning Sev on the Potions desk…"

"Ginny, you're putting scary images in my head," Hermione said warningly.

"It's not my fault that you're _imagining _things!" the Weasley girl retorted hotly. 

"Crookshanks… leave the trunk alone…" They heard Snape speak wearily to Hermione's cat.

"He can't be leaving!" Ginny dashed and opened her door. She saw Snape trying to discourage the huge cat from jumping on top of the trunk. She heaved a sigh of relief when she noticed that Snape was going into Draco's room and not heading out. The letters 'Professor R. J. Lupin' made her squeal in delight. "Remus's home!" she yelled exuberantly, surprising Snape. Her thundering footsteps shook the entire floor and Hermione paled, clutching desperately to the back of her chair. 

An hour later, Luna's father came by. Mrs. Weasley kindly invited them to dinner but the wizard declined, saying that he wanted to take Luna out to a restaurant. The twins had owled their mother earlier saying that they would be home late and would eat at the Leaky Cauldron. Dinner in the Weasleys' dining room was a happy affair, accompanied by a lot of questions and answers. At one point, everyone found themselves laughing until they cried. The only ones who weren't indulging themselves were Snape and Lupin.

"Forgive me, Remus… I knew that Tonks was infatuated with you but I didn't think it went further than that…" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully. 

The youngsters were still gasping for breath. Ginny tried to drink her pumpkin juice but ended up choking when the laughter overtook her again. 

"I can't believe…Professor…McGonagall," the girl laughed hoarsely, "… fed you… porridge…" She cackled and Lupin dropped his eyes onto his plate in embarrassment. "_Fed!_"

"Don't get all defensive," Harry said lightly to his godfather and received a glare for his pains. 

While most of the Weasleys went to bed after the meal, Harry and Draco hung out in the living room and lavished attention on their pets. It had begun to rain again and the Slytherin transfigured his shirt into a black turtleneck, something he learned from Hermione. Snape and Lupin had gone up ahead to the bedroom and the two youngsters made it a point not to interrupt anything that might be happening. The twins returned, quickly shrugging off their raincoats and charming them dry; then raiding the kitchen for some leftover meat pasties. Fred and George sat in the living room with Harry and Draco, chatting as they snacked. The twins Apparated to their shed twenty minutes later. After another two hours of playing with the owls and cats, the raven-haired Gryffindor and flaxen-haired Slytherin decided it was time for them to wash up and get some sleep. A loud bang outside The Burrow made the two rush out. It sounded as if the explosion had come from the shed. 

"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!!!" Mrs. Weasley shouted angrily.

"SORRY MUM!!!" the twins replied in unison. Harry and Draco drew their wands out from their pockets and studied the blackened pranksters. 

"Are you all right?" the raven-haired boy asked in concern.

"WHAT???" 

"I've read about something like this happening before." Draco muttered to himself. Harry glanced at him. 

**_"What do you mean?" _**the Gryffindor asked his lover, head tilted in inquiry.

**_"Never mind that. They're deaf for the time being…" _**

Harry stared at his lover again before shouting at the twins to ask if they were okay. The twins waved them off. It seemed like Fred and George were in the middle of some experiment and as soon as the smoke cleared out from their shed, they went back in, conversing loudly and completely ignoring the two younger boys.

**_"Well, I think we ought to get some sleep…" _**Draco said softly into his mind. 

**_"There's no one out here you know… I doubt anyone thought to place scrying spells or anything…" _**Harry said cheekily.

**_"Green-Eyes, I am going back into the house," _**the silver-eyed boy responded firmly and walked off.

**_"You seriously have no sense of adventure," _**Harry complained and followed his lover sulkily.

**_"Who would have thought that once exposed, you'd go carnal on me?" _**

The Gryffindor chose not to answer his counterpart but caught up to him and linked his fingers together with long, pale slender ones. The two paused for a moment to exchange a brief kiss and smiled when they separated.

**********

****

Hiding behind a window…

Fred stood back and scratched his head then carefully placed a peculiar-looking white box into a trunk. His twin wore the same puzzled expression on his face. George swept up the remains of the firecracker before conjuring up two mugs of hot chocolate and handing one to his brother. 

"Who would have thought the Slytherin kid would be that honorable?" George asked before taking a sip.

"I agree… I seriously thought that either Draco or Harry would drag the other off for a quick shag…" Fred agreed. 

"Well… Mum has nothing to fear… Seems like both of them can control their inner desires…" 

"What about the professors though?" 

"What about them?" George set his empty cup on the small table before leaning against the wall, looking down at his twin. 

"I don't know but remember those _erotic_ rumors about the two of them when Remus first came to teach us? Do you think he would really do those things to Snape in Hogwarts?" 

"I have no idea… but I'm sure Harry would tell us if something like that occurred…"

**********

****

Two in the morning…

Snape gave a silent sigh and focused on the face of his dozing lover. Black eyes swiftly moved to the floor when he thought he saw movement. The sudden moan coming from a sleeping Harry caused Lupin to sit up immediately. After several minutes of studying the young couple, they determined that the cause of Harry's moan was not sexual in nature, but rather because the temperature had dropped again. 

"Shouldn't he be warm enough, being wrapped about the other boy?" Lupin whispered and Snape allowed himself to smile. Both of them took another look at the entangled limbs below them. 

"Draco gets cold easily… I think Harry was complaining about that rather than the temperature," the Potions Master answered softly.

His godson shifted again in his sleep. "Aren't the two of you tired?" the boy asked sleepily. Green eyes blinked owlishly in the glow of the soft candlelight. 

"Did we wake you?" Lupin asked in concern.

"No, _he_ did," Harry brushed a lock of silver hair off the Slytherin's forehead. "I don't know if he did it on purpose but his lips were damn cold." The boy readjusted his position. He now cradled Draco's head and pressed himself closer to his lover in an attempt to warm the lithe body in his arms. 

Lupin relaxed and settled back into his previous position. He breathed contentedly when Snape began stroking his hair. "You better be careful with what you are doing, Harry. You don't want your boyfriend to be _hot_… not with the two of us in here…" 

"Remus…" Harry began in a mournful tone. 

The Defence professor laughed soundlessly. Snape watched the reclining wizard affectionately. Suddenly, his expression turned grim. Since Lupin's eyes were closed, he was unaware of it. However, Harry felt it.

"Sev?" the boy called his godfather softly.

Snape looked at the boy thoughtfully before sighing. "Nothing Harry…"

"You're brooding about something…" his godson insisted. Lupin looked up at him, suddenly interested in examining his face. 

"Nosy Gryffindors…" Snape's lips curled slightly in amusement. "If you must know, I am worried about how Draco will fare once school starts…"

"Oh…" was Harry's response. The boy's eyes darkened as he began to brood. 

"Isn't it better if you two try to act like you did before all of this happened?" Lupin suggested. 

"I'm afraid it won't make any difference, Remus… If you haven't noticed, the two of us simply don't fight anymore… Not the way we used to…" the emerald-eyed Gryffindor replied softly.

"It won't be easy for you, but the journey ahead will be much tougher on him. This is just a suggestion, and you can ignore me if you want to," the Defence professor said lightly, "but I think it would be good if Draco doesn't depend too much on either of you," he looked at Harry and then Snape, "for support. Otherwise, people might think he's nothing but a bootlicker. I don't think we want that, not if he's trying to gain the respect of his juniors." 

"I'll keep that in mind…" Harry said distractedly. 

"This is too much to think about," Snape muttered to himself. His lover looked at him in bafflement. "I wonder if my own House will look at me in the same way they did before some of my students took it into their heads to intrude on my godson's privacy."

"In that case, lover," brown eyes looked at him brightly, "I think you should put on the meanest glare you can produce. Either the students flee or they'll faint dead away…" While Harry chuckled at Lupin's words, Snape smiled faintly and planted a warm kiss on the reclining wizard's forehead.

"So… when are you going back to Hogwarts?" Harry inquired sleepily, forcing his eyes to remain open.

"Probably Tuesday or the day after," Snape answered briskly. "I would like to try to get a full night's sleep before subjecting myself to the intolerably sleepless nights there." 

He softly chanted an incantation and the room went dark. The bed creaked as Lupin moved over to allow Snape to lie down before curling up against the wizard. After fifteen minutes, only the sound of deep breathing could be heard in the room. 

**********

****

Monday, 1st September. 

Draco checked the room once more. He was sure that he had forgotten to do something but he couldn't put his finger on it. _Damn… what is it?_

"Draco! Are you done?" Ginny yelled, running toward his door. A moment later, her head popped into the doorway. "Come on, the taxis are here."

Helios flew into the room, his tail gently brushing against the girl's hair. When his eagle owl greeted him with an expectant hoot, he suddenly realized that he hadn't acquired a cage for his pet. Before he could panic, Let appeared on the bed, holding up a huge cage with difficulty. 

"Thank you!" the Slytherin said in a grateful tone and his house-elf disappeared. Once he managed to get his owl comfortably perched inside the cage, he looked around at the bare room and wondered if it would be the last time he would ever be in The Burrow. He yawned suddenly and blinked his eyes to clear them.

The night before, a last minute decision by Harry had kept most of them up into the wee hours of the morning. The raven-haired Gryffindor had decided to take all of his belongings to Hogwarts though Draco had warned him that some things might be stolen by a poltergeist if he wasn't careful. Harry insisted, saying that he might want to look at some of the presents he'd received but had not yet opened. 

He went down the stairs with Ginny, with her holding on to Helios's cage. The moment he reached the landing, Bill put an arm about his shoulders and he was ushered outside where three cars were waiting for them. The Weasley helped him place his trunk inside one of the boots before indicating that the Slytherin should get into the back seat of the nearest automobile. He found himself sandwiched by Bill and Ginny and through his owl's cage, he saw that Tonks was sitting next to the driver. 

"Who's with Harry?" he whispered into Ginny's ear and had to repeat his question twice when the sound of the engine drowned his voice. 

"He's with Dad and Aberforth…"

"Who's he?" 

"Aberforth?" Ginny asked and smiled briefly. "He's Dumbledore's brother." 

**_"Dumbledore has a brother?" _**The Slytherin made use of the bond with the Gryffindor. 

**_"Yes, actually… Everything all right back there?" _**his lover asked. 

**_"Yes…" _**

"That's good… all we can hope for now is that we don't get separated while on the road…" Harry's thought echoed in his mind. 

Draco leaned back and ignored the fact that it was rather cramped. Moments later, his eyes drifted shut. He wasn't even aware that they had reached the station until Tonks cheerfully yelled at him to wake up. He cursed his cousin for startling him; his heartbeat hadn't quite yet returned to normal when they reached the magical barrier. It was fifteen minutes to eleven and the group was on edge about missing the train as they waited for a natural lull to occur. When they finally made it onto Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, they only had a minute to say their good-byes. 

Mrs. Weasley was rather insistent on hugging the boys and Draco was totally surprised when she did that and gave him a peck on his cheek too. Finally the group of students hurriedly boarded the train and scrambled to find an unoccupied carriage. Harry headed straight between a group of Slytherins to reach the last compartment. Since everyone was still in various states of confusion, Draco was able to slip past them unnoticed. 

**********

Harry helped the girls to stow their trunks; thankfully, there was enough space for the cages. Crookshanks, as usual, was allowed to occupy his own seat. The youngsters managed to wave goodbye to the Weasleys on the platform before the train sped off. Then it was time for the prefects to go to their carriage for their duty assignments. Harry unashamedly helped Draco with his robe and kissed the pale hand briefly before letting go. 

**_"If you can, come back here…"_** Harry said simply and smiled when the Slytherin nodded in agreement. 

**_"Buy me something to eat…" _**Draco looked shyly at him before following Ron and Hermione. 

"That leaves only the two of us," Harry said wryly to Ginny who just shrugged. Fearing the compartment would get too crowded later, the two changed into their robes before sitting down together. Ginny opened one of her smaller trunks and passed the _Daily Prophet _to him and took out a novel that she had borrowed from Hermione. Seventeen minutes passed without incident. Soon after, they both heard Dean's loud voice instructing the Slytherins in the other compartment to step aside. 

"Let us through, you boneheads!" That was Seamus: he sounded irritated. 

"Hmmmm… I know the Patronus worked on three Slytherins almost four years ago during a Quidditch match… Maybe we should try that on them?" 

Harry and Ginny looked at each other in surprise. "Was that Luna?" the raven-haired boy asked softly. Ginny nodded in reply. Curses erupted and finally their friends entered the compartment, looking quite annoyed. 

"Bloody imitators… At least Malfoy does his tricks discreetly…" Dean muttered under his breath as he shut the door. He saw his girlfriend sitting next to a very charming Harry. "I hope you're not trying to steal her from under my nose," he said lightly. Harry protested doing any such thing, making the others laugh. Luna laughed the loudest. "Malfoy-Crabbe-Goyle wannabes…" Dean jerked his thumb at the door and Harry grinned in response. The other boy didn't know that there was a very loud protest taking place inside Harry's head. 

It took quite a while for the Ravenclaw, Dean, Seamus and Neville to settle. Nearly an hour had passed when the witch with the trolley full of sweets came in. Harry spent ten minutes deliberating what he should buy for his lover before deciding on several packets of Chocolate Frogs, pumpkin pastries, cauldron cakes and what the Slytherin loved most: licorice wands and several packets of peppermint, coffee and pepper-flavored Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. He nearly decided to pass on buying the ice-cold pumpkin juice until Ginny reminded him that the drink was charmed to stay cold indefinitely. Harry grinned sheepishly at her and she rolled her eyes sarcastically before returning the smile. 

A cold draft entered the compartment and they belatedly realized that it had started to rain. No one had been spending more time than necessary studying the view outside the window. Luna absently used her school robe like a blanket as she read a magazine that she had bought before going to King's Cross. Neville noticed the pile of foodstuffs beside Hermione's cat was still untouched but decided not to comment on it. Instead, he fiddled with the Remembrall he kept inside his huge pocket. He stared at it as it turned crimson and frowned. 

Dean was examining the luggage racks overhead. "Hey, whose owl is that?" The boy jerked his chin at Helios, half-hidden by Pig's cage. Harry and Ginny were saved from answering his question when Neville exclaimed that his toad was missing. 

"Just like old times…" Seamus smirked.

"Congratulations. You managed to remember that you had forgotten something," Luna spoke without looking up from her tabloid magazine. 

"Thanks… I think," Neville replied uncertainly as he stood.

"I'll go with you," Dean offered and Harry quickly volunteered his help too. 

"Seamus, do you think you'd be able to deal with any unwanted attention?" Dean asked lightly. 

The two girls in the compartment snorted. "We're not exactly helpless, you know," Ginny said tightly and Dean grinned at her before wrenching the door open. 

The three boys exited into a carriage filled with excitedly chatting Slytherins who ignored them totally. Harry didn't mind and their search for Trevor began. They had passed Leren's group once but there were no signs that the toad was there and Harry decided to ask Draco if by any chance, Trevor was in the prefects' carriage. It took sometime for Draco to reply but his answer was a negative no. 

The three boys paused in a corridor filled with a rowdy mix of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. Dean spoke first, "Neville, you couldn't have possibly left Trevor at home, right?" 

Longbottom shook his head, face obvious with worry. "I know that I brought him with me because I remember holding him in my hand as Fletcher brought the trunk up onto the train." 

"Damn…" Dean muttered under his breath. He looked at Harry expectantly. 

"I think we should start searching for him from the Prefects' carriage. Don't worry, I'm sure we will find Trevor here, inside the train. And once we do, I think it would be a good idea if we start thinking of ways to tag our pets with _something_ to let us know where they are…" Malachite-green eyes looked confidently back at dark brown eyes. 

**_"Are you still looking for your friend_'_s toad?"_**Draco's curious thought reached him.

**__**

"Yes, we are. We're just about to renew the search…" 

"The toad isn't here," Draco said, startling Neville and Dean, "nor in the driver's cabin." Somehow, the Slytherin had managed to creep up behind them without warning. Hermione and Ron soon appeared wearing somewhat contented smiles. 

"Ernie and Hannah are the Heads… thank Merlin!" Hermione breathed. Her expression turned quickly into one of annoyance as Pansy shoved rudely past her, glaring at Draco at the same time. 

"What's up with her?" Dean asked curiously.

"She's just upset…" Ron made a face. "Most of us ignored her suggestion to 'recruit' students to perform routine checks alongside the prefects…"

"If Harry and I won't start a war on the train, you can be sure that there won't be much reason for any of _your_ 'recruits' get entangled with hers," Draco said in a slightly amused tone. 

Hermione chuckled, taking Dean and Neville by surprise. "You know, I'm rather glad the others listened to you about grouping the first-years together," she said happily to Draco, stepping aside to let Hannah and her partner through. 

"We'll be gathering the kids now… so see you in a bit," the Hufflepuff said. "Good luck finding Trevor!" 

The group of six slowly moved along the corridors and passed through numerous compartments but there was still no sign of the toad. Neville's face grew more anxious; his only thought was for Trevor. He didn't even realize he had entered the compartment where Leren and his fellows were hanging out on his own, so intent was he on looking under the seats.

Harry and the rest were still questioning some of the younger Ravenclaws whether they had seen anything strange in their compartment when Dean piped up, "Hey, where's Neville?" 

"He already went into that compartment…" a girl with cute dimples answered, pointing delicately at the opposite door. 

"Great, he chose to go in there alone," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Looking for something?" Leren Montague asked sweetly as the Gryffindors and Draco came in. Neville abruptly stood and stared at the leering Slytherin blankly. 

"As a matter of fact, we _are_ looking for something," Hermione answered carefully, not liking the way Millicent and Pansy were eyeing her. "Have you seen a toad?" 

"You mean… this?" Gregory Goyle asked stupidly. The boy was slowly squeezing Trevor in his huge palm. Nasty chuckles erupted and there were satisfied smirks all around, save the Gryffindors, Draco, a young boy whom they hadn't seen before and Blaise. 

"Give him back," Neville said quietly, looking unwaveringly at Gregory. The Gryffindor clenched his fingers tightly when Leren casually took the toad from his fellow Slytherin. 

"Why should I?" Leren sneered, dangling and waving the struggling toad in the air cruelly. He used his other hand to slide the window open and glance briefly at the landscape. It was clear that the Slytherin intended to throw the amphibian out. "A pity we won't be able to see _it_ being shred to pieces once it hits the wheels…"

Harry acted instinctively, creating an invisible net over the opened window. His eyes gleamed in satisfaction when he saw Leren's stupefied expression. He had thrown Trevor in the direction of the window but was surprised when the toad bounced against the invisible wall and landed on Millicent instead. 

When the girl let out a piercing scream, the young boy jumped out of his seat and huddled in one corner. Before Millicent could harm Trevor, Blaise quickly grabbed the toad and tossed it to Neville. Then he drew his wand out and pointed it threateningly at Leren. Everyone in the compartment — except for the young boy — did the same, pointing their wands at their intended opponents. 

**********

"Get out," Blaise hissed, eyes glaring at the Gryffindors before settling on Leren's face. Harry frowned, wondering why the Slytherin was trembling with rage. "You were the one who caused the fire…" 

"What fire?" Ron demanded. 

"I think we should go…" Hermione tugged at her boyfriend's sleeve. "We already found Trevor. Neville, Dean, come on…" She pushed the two boys gently ahead of her. When she caught sight of the frightened boy huddling on the floor, she decided to take him too. "You really shouldn't be in there… Are you a first-year?"

The boy was silent. Then in between hiccups, he answered, "Going t-to…" Hermione studied the boy's face carefully. 

"Is someone in there one of your siblings?" she had to ask. 

"No… but Blaise's a neighbor…"

"What's your name," the Gryffindor asked kindly. 

"Julian… Julian Harshawk…" the boy mumbled.

"Do you want to stay here… or would you rather go and mingle with the new ones?" She pulled the small boy to his feet and smiled, only half paying attention to what was happening between Blaise and the others. 

"My father told me to stay with Leren… He said that he is the best example one could hope for in a Slytherin…" 

"Example? You're a Slytherin?" Dean asked curiously.

"All my family members were Slytherins," Julian said firmly. "My father wants me to be sorted into Salazar's House."

"I thought you were supposed to follow Neville back to our compartment?" Hermione asked archly. Her friend shrugged.

"Anyway," Julian spoke with more confidence, "my father will be mad if I don't stay with Leren." 

"Hmmmphf… Well, Julian… Your father's not here right now nor is he the one who will put you in Slytherin…" Hermione said with a little shake of her head and steered the boy forward. 

"That's true," the boy admitted. "I don't know why my father wants me to be influenced by Leren. _He _looks like a cruel boy." Julian turned to look at a white-lipped Leren in disapproval.

"You've got it all wrong… Not 'looks' but 'acts'…" Dean corrected. "Is this yours?" the Gryffindor pointed at a trunk overhead. When Julian nodded, Dean reached for the trunk and lifted the cage with an owl. "This yours too?" 

"Yes… where are you taking them?" Julian asked, following the boy into another compartment. He wasn't given the chance to ask any other questions when boys and girls his own size and age suddenly surrounded him. 

"You got space for another trunk?" Dean asked Hannah. The Head Girl snapped at him in irritation and jerked her chin upward to an almost empty luggage rack. However, her annoyance faded when she found herself being questioned by a dozen excited first-years. "Hermione, where's Harry and Ron?" 

The bushy-haired prefect shrugged but looked worried. "I don't know but they'll be able to take care of themselves."

"Of course," Dean answered dryly. "Perhaps they could take care of themselves _too_ well…" 

**********

Draco, Harry and Ron stared at Leren in confusion. They barely managed to grab Blaise before he could hex Montague. 

"Get a grip on yourself!" Ron shouted, his wand still pointing at Nott. 

"Zabini," Harry called the Slytherin softly. Blaise shrugged their hands off his body and stepped back a few paces, baring his white teeth at the Slytherin Quidditch Captain. "Are you saying that he murdered a Muggle family?" 

"You can't go around telling lies, Blaise," Theodore said angrily.

"Lies?" Blaise looked incredulously at the weedy-looking Slytherin. "Damn you…"

**_"Green-Eyes, this is a serious situation. Blaise is accusing Leren of murder…"_** Draco said in a worried tone. 

**_"It is serious… But we can't do anything without any proof…" _**Harry answered gravely.

"You caused my mother to lose her sight, you filthy bastard!" 

"All right! I'm taking him out of here!" Ron said, grabbing the enraged Slytherin and pushing him out of the compartment. 

**_"Drake, get Blaise's things. We can question him later…" _**Harry instructed, looking impassively at the group of Slytherins. 

**_"Yes… I wonder why we weren't informed of any other attacks besides our own…"_** Draco said. 

"Turncoat…" Theodore muttered softly and made the mistake of letting Draco hear it. The light-haired Slytherin acted fast and in seconds, the skinny boy dropped to the floor. 

"You killed him!" Millicent cried in horror. 

Draco's laughter was scary. "I don't bother with flies, Bulstrode… I warn you: cause any more trouble and you will end up like him… But maybe I'll be doing those who might want to question _you _a favor." With that, the pale-haired Slytherin moved along. The students from the next compartment were already weary of being shoved around and subjected to curses. Harry looked wordlessly at them before following his lover. The door closed automatically behind him and he went in search of Ernie. The Head Boy was hunched down in a seat, introducing a complete set of Witches' and Wizards' cards to a group of interested kids.

"Hello Ernie," Harry greeted the Hufflepuff. 

"It's Harry Potter!" one cute girl with a ponytail exclaimed. Harry smiled faintly. 

"What do you want?" The Head Boy stood up, looking questioningly at him.

"I need you to do me a favor. Keep an eye on the Slytherins next to this compartment," Harry spoke in a low voice. 

"You don't have to tell me that, Harry. We _always_ keep an eye on Slytherins." 

"Thanks…" Harry mumbled as he walked off. He reached the second to the last carriage. It was so crowded and noisy that he had to shout to the Slytherins to let him through.

"Can't you just stay in your bloody compartment?" a fifth-year Slytherin complained. The passing Gryffindor smiled inwardly. He was about to reach for the door handle when it slid open. 

"There you are!" It was Ron, looking relieved. "I was wondering if _they_ managed to curse you or something."

"Well, here I am," Harry responded as he entered. Ginny and Seamus were standing like everyone else, except for Blaise who sat quietly beside Crookshanks. 

"Somehow it feels as if the whole world has been turned upside down," Dean whispered into Ginny's ear, looking at Draco and Blaise in bewilderment. 

"What do you mean? It was already turned upside down when Voldemort reappeared," Ginny scoffed, hitting her boyfriend lightly on the chest. The Gryffindors looked at each other and sat down. Draco took a moment to clear up the packets of sweets, dumping them unceremoniously onto Hermione's skirt. 

"Oi!" Ron gave Draco a hard look. 

"What?" the Slytherin inquired innocently and deftly picked Crookshanks up from the couch. The ginger-colored cat gave a brief hiss of protest at the sudden disturbance but settled down quickly on Draco's lap. Across him, Harry, Hermione and Ron squeezed themselves on to one couch, with Harry sitting between his two friends.

An hour passed in silence, each doing their own thing until Draco felt that Blaise was calm enough to talk. The silvery-haired Slytherin offered a packet of Every Flavor Beans to the quiet one beside him. Blaise accidentally looked into his eyes and Draco held his gaze. Harry felt a strange twinge as he watched _his _Draco staring intently at another boy. He was contemplating whether he should break the eye contact or not when Hermione pinched him lightly. He caught Ron staring at him before his best friend rolled his eyes heavenward. Looking down, he found Hermione's eyes gleaming brightly and there was an amused smile hovering on her lips. Then he recalled the dancing Veelas incident and the truth finally hit him. 

"Oh…" Harry blinked his eyes rapidly. Hermione did something she was not known for: she smirked before dissolving into laughter. Ginny looked their way curiously before turning back to her conversation with Neville. Harry felt his cheeks reddening as he contemplated Draco's face. 

The two Slytherins stared at each other for another minute or so before Blaise gave a long sigh. He tore open the packet and dumped the contents into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. 

"It _is_ up to you if you want to tell us…" At Blaise's raised eyebrow, Draco smiled faintly. "Yes, it's 'us' unfortunately… but you know that you _will_ have to tell Professor Dumbledore, don't you?" 

"I'm not as stupid as Greg, you know," the other Slytherin mumbled.

"How's your mother?" Draco asked seriously.

"Bad. The fire was too great for her to handle and she was badly disfigured. My father is still in shock about the entire tragedy…" Blaise answered miserably. "Her face actually melted, you know…"

Hermione paled and asked shakily, "The Flame-Freezing charm didn't work?" 

"Not if the fire is created by magic." Surprisingly, it was Draco who answered.

"True… Someone had planted a clutch of active Ashwinder eggs in the drawing room. That's what my uncles found after they managed to put the fire out." Blaise shuddered visibly, recalling how his mother had looked like when they got her out. "It was nighttime and we could see the fire. He shouldn't have done it to the Savvils. They were nice neighbors."

"You're tolerant of Muggles…"

Blaise managed to give a small smile. "Not all Muggles. But the Savvils had twins… I loved playing with them. Damn unlucky that the Muggle authorities came to the site and made the fire worse by trying to douse it with water. I don't know if I should be grateful that a doctor managed to get the two babies out… probably took them to an orphanage… maybe an adoption center…"

"But it doesn't show us how Leren is responsible," Hermione pointed out. 

"While my uncles helped the Muggles with the fire, I followed the doctor on my broom —" The Slytherin was suddenly cut off by an impatient Ron.

"What's so interesting about the doctor?" 

"The babies had magic potential, you git! Now would you please let my friend hear my account without you interrupting me with irrelevant questions?" 

"Fine! Fine! Carry on then!" the Weasley snapped.

Blaise scowled at him and continued, "As I said, I was following the doctor when I noticed shadows below me where none should be. I know my area well and I knew those shapes below the trees weren't the shadows of animals."

"Hang on…" It was Ron and Blaise looked as if he would like to cudgel the Gryffindor. "If the night you are talking about was the nineteenth of August, how could you see shadows when it was a moonless night?" 

"FOR SOMEONE WHO THINKS HE KNOWS IT ALL, YOU ARE A FIRST CLASS IMBECILE!!!" Blaise yelled. "There are lampposts in the area! Besides, the full moon was on the eighteenth you moron... There were lots of shadows on the ground the following night! 

"Oh…" Ron had the decency to look sheepish. 

"Seriously…" Even Hermione seemed rather irritated. 

"How the hell was I supposed to know his neighborhood?" Ron protested. 

Draco couldn't help but made a smart comment, "That is why _he_ is telling the story, not you…" 

"I swear, if it wasn't for the fact that Harry loves you, I would have hung you upside down long ago!"

Dean, who had been sipping from a bottle of pumpkin juice, spluttered all over Neville's feet. Seamus and Luna jumped out of their seats to avoid being sprayed on. Suddenly, all was quiet and everyone gaped, except for Ron and Harry. 

"What?" the Weasley demanded, wondering why Hermione was looking at him peculiarly. Then he noticed that Harry had bowed his head, covering his face with his hands. He belatedly realized that he had said something he shouldn't have only when his sister and girlfriend cornered him. 

"Ron, you idiot!" Ginny screamed, whacking the top of her brother's head with Luna's magazine. 

"You're so impulsive!" Hermione wailed, pinching her boyfriend's exposed arms.

"Owww! Ouch! 'MIONE!!!" Ron cringed against the window panel, covering his head with his hands to protect himself from Ginny's forceful blows. 

Harry groaned, finding it hard to breathe with Ginny pushing him into Ron. **_"This is not how I wanted to start the school term…" _**he lamented to Draco. 

"Calm down!" Ron pleaded. Both girls eventually let go but Ginny didn't go back to her seat. She was looking at Blaise who had a pained expression on his face. 

**_"Maybe we should cast Memory Charms on them…" _**Draco said, mirroring the other Slytherin's expression. 

"You will not tell this to _anyone_," Harry finally addressed the crowd. Neville's eyes bulged horribly, Seamus was too lost for words and Dean looked like he was about to vomit. 

Blaise cleared his throat uneasily. "Your friend made a mistake. You don't have to sacrifice yourself," he said to the emerald-eyed Gryffindor.

**_"He thinks Ron's joking?" _**Harry was surprised. Draco too was in disbelief. 

"Blaise…" The Slytherin prefect touched the boy's arm to get his attention. "Ron meant what he said." Then Draco turned to Ron and glared. "He just forgot that there are those who would be uncomfortable with the news."

"That's too bad, Draco but I don't believe that the Golden Boy would fall head over heels in love with you," Blaise insisted, momentarily forgetting his sadness. 

**_"Do you want to say Ron was joking or not?" _**Draco looked at Harry, eyes showing his confusion. 

"They're telling the truth," Luna said, adjusting her glasses.

"Really?" Blaise smirked, looking at Harry challengingly. "Go on and kiss him." 

"Hey! Don't do it, Harry!" Dean said in a strangled voice. "Ron was pulling our legs! We're fine with that! You don't have to do anything the Slytherin says!"

**_"Damn! What in hell are we supposed to do now?" _**Draco pulled at his hair desperately, messing up his immaculately combed silver-blond locks. 

Harry looked at his friends for help. Hermione bit her lip anxiously, Ron wasn't looking at any of them, and Ginny was smiling devilishly. She was making hand movements as if saying 'What are you waiting for?' 

"What? Are you afraid?" Blaise gave Draco a twisted smile. The latter looked at him with a raised eyebrow before smiling and batting his eyelashes sweetly at Harry.

"Not you too!" Dean exclaimed. "Ignore your housemate! He's taunting you!" 

**_"Do you want to kiss me?" _**Draco asked slyly and Harry sighed. 

**_"Of course I do, but is this the way to do it?" _**

"Come here…" Draco looked at him alluringly. 

**_"I think it's a bad idea." _**Harry shook his head, uneasy at the situation he found himself in. 

**_"You know you want to…" _**Draco pouted and Harry rolled his eyes in aggravation. He got to his feet and pulled his lover up, ignoring the muffled gasps of horror from some of his companions. Blaise was still looking at them, daring the two boys to do the unimaginable.

**_"I think that I've just realized how irritating my sneer could be," _**Draco said wryly, looking at the other Slytherin in amusement. 

Harry smiled, very, very faintly before leaning toward his significant other. He raised one hand and cupped Draco's sharp chin, pulling the blonde closer. His lover's amusement quickly faded, replaced by anticipation. The emerald-eyed boy pressed his lips tenderly on Draco's, shuddering slightly even from the simple act.

"You expect me to believe that you two are an item by just doing that?" 

But Blaise's words went unheard as the kissing couple closed their eyes, blocking out everything else until they were only aware of each other. Both shifted on their feet, leaning closer to the other for the next step. Harry slowly traced Draco's lower lip with the tip of his tongue and smiled slightly when he felt the Slytherin trembling in his arms. Harry pulled away, searching Draco's face for several moments before swooping down to bestow a thrilling kiss upon the silver-eyed boy. They pulled away, both panting heavily. 

"So that's how boys kiss," Hermione said clinically, startling Harry and Draco. 

"Well?" Draco managed to gain his breath and looked at Blaise smugly. 

"I believe you…" the other Slytherin mumbled. 

"Okay," Hermione said after taking a deep breath, "Blaise, why don't you tell us how you knew that the _shadows_ didn't belong to _animals_?"

Harry and Draco settled down on their respective seats, both smiling apologetically at Ron for the display. 

"It took quite a while for me to make out what the shadows were," the Slytherin began in a serious tone, "I don't know if they saw me when I began to fly low. I realized then that the shadows belonged to people mounted on brooms."

"But they could have been someone from your family…" Harry pointed out.

"Wearing the infamous masks? No way…" Blaise snorted. 

"So, these people were wearing masks. However, you accused Leren. Something must have happened to make you so sure that they were indeed the ones who caused the fire," Draco said with a frown. 

"I did something so utterly unlike a Slytherin," Blaise answered in a defeated tone.

"You chased after them?" Draco yelped. "Are you mad?" 

"Maybe I was… I maneuvered so that their backs were to me and I rushed at one of them. It's a good thing that I keep my wand with me all the time… I stamped the first person I could get within reach of." 

"Stamped?" Harry asked in puzzlement.

"I shot a charm at the exposed neck. Whomever the culprit is, he will have the Zabini emblem on his neck. It won't wear off no matter what unless a _pure-blood_ Zabini removes the spell."

"That won't really help unless you got all of them," Draco said in a disappointed tone. 

"I'm not daft! Of course, I did them all! What surprised me was that one of them was a girl…" Blaise responded, smiling crookedly.

"I wonder who it was…" Draco said in a knowing tone. 

"Pansy…" Blaise laughed but it was devoid of amusement. "You noticed that she's got bruises on her neck?" 

"We did…" Hermione nodded and so did Ron. 

"So you injured them in one way or another." Harry stared off into space thoughtfully. "This could be used against you… No, listen to me first… There were four of them and only one out of four was a female. How did you, acting alone manage to tackle them and get away safely?"

"How did _you_ defeat three grown experienced wizards?" Blaise countered. "Two of the fliers were rather clumsy in the air. I had pushed _someone_ to the ground and I saw two of them _fumbling _on their broomsticks. The other one was out of my sight in seconds and that person was flying a Nimbus 2001," the Slytherin elaborated. 

"None of them were Crabbe or Goyle then," Ron observed. 

"Thank Merlin for that," Blaise grimaced as he imagined himself being overpowered by the two super-sized boys armed with bats. 

"So they were in the area when the fire started… Do you have any concrete evidence that someone from _that_ group _planted _the eggs?" Hermione questioned Blaise.

The smile that Blaise gave her erased any doubts in her mind. "Of course I do," the Slytherin answered confidently.

**********

****

Firesword: The next chapter will be loaded as soon as it's up on FA! Six more chaps to go before the end of Transcendence!  
  



	15. On A Grave Note

****

~ Chapter 15: On a Grave Note ~

A few hours later…

Harry jumped down from the carriage and helped Ginny. Neville carefully passed their heavy trunks down while on the other side, Luna handed their pets to Seamus and Blaise. Some of them were still bewildered by the fact that Draco was attached to Harry. So far, they hadn't said anything about the relationship but Harry was sure he would hear something about it in the next few days. Neville grunted with strain as he passed Draco's trunk to Harry. 

"How on earth did he manage to carry it by himself?" Longbottom muttered then heaved a sigh of relief as he got out of one of the carriages pulled by Thestrals. 

Harry was as surprised as his friend was. He nearly toppled over from the sheer weight of the dark brown case. "I have my suspicions…"

"Something just occurred to me," Seamus said, quickening his steps to fall in with the rest of them. "I wonder what Hermione would say if we started complaining to her about how heavy her trunk is…" 

"She'd just roll her eyes and ask why you didn't charm the case to make it lighter," Ginny said airily. She burst out laughing and Blaise soon followed. Dean glared at the Slytherin's back and somehow, the latter felt it and turned. Blaise smirked to himself then shifted his attention to where he was going. 

"We've been stupid," Dean muttered sheepishly and began charming the heaviest trunks with a Lightening spell. 

The group of Gryffindors and one Slytherin made their way towards the great oak doors of the castle. They merged with their fellow students and started climbing up the front steps. Harry was dimly aware that Draco was somewhere behind him, probably ushering the younger students in the right direction. 

**_"How was the water? Did anyone fall in?" _**Harry asked as he felt a trace of amusement from his lover. 

**_"The Giant Squid is still alive and well. A good thing that sound travels slower in water. The creature would have probably gone deaf when one of the first-years screamed after she saw the Squid's tentacle prodding the boat forward," _**Draco responded in a cheerful tone. 

Harry chuckled softly. The instant he set his trunk on the floor in the Entrance Hall, it disappeared. The new students exclaimed when they saw his trunk vanish and Julian explained to a small girl with reddish-brown hair that it was caused by the house-elves. 

"Then why aren't our trunks gone?" the girl asked in puzzlement. 

"That's because you haven't been sorted," a squeaky voice answered from behind them.

"Oh!" the same girl exclaimed.

"The house-elves wouldn't know where to place them until then. I am Professor Flitwick —" 

"You're the one teaching Charms!" a boy wearing a dark blue turtleneck underneath his school robes blurted out enthusiastically. The Charms professor looked pleased and nodded. 

"Yes! We only have ten of you to be Sorted…" Small eyes scanned the cluster of children before him. "Good! All of you are here! Professor McGonagall is usually the one to do this since she is the Deputy Headmistress but she has come down with a cold," the wizard said almost in a wistful tone. Then his face lit up. "But she will be well soon since I don't think she would want to miss any of her classes with the term starting." Professor Flitwick smiled kindly. "Now, bring your trunks along and come with me to the antechamber!" 

The professor turned and set off. He suddenly turned back, muttering apologies to the first-years. He pointed his wand at each of the trunks. "All right, you should be able to carry them without any trouble."

"It's light as a feather!" a bespectacled boy exclaimed. 

Several of the first years exchanged glances. "Cool!" a dark-eyed boy said, looking awed as he followed the Charms professor.

Ginny giggled at the sight. "They're quite cute, aren't they?" she commented. 

"Yes, they are," Harry said quietly before following the others into the Great Hall. _They look so carefree… I wonder if they are aware of the problems that we're having… _He sighed. The ever-messy-raven-haired Gryffindor was suffering from a conflict of emotions. He was happy that he would be resuming his studies but being in Hogwarts meant that the students around him wouldn't be safe. 

"Welcome back," Snape's familiar silky voice greeted. Harry berated himself for being so absorbed in his thoughts that he was unaware of the moment his godfather walked by his side. 

"Troubled thoughts?" Snape murmured. 

Harry smiled slightly before nodding. "How's Professor McGonagall?" he asked his godfather when he saw that the Transfiguration professor was also absent from the Hall. 

"She's fine. It is just a cold," the Potions Master answered, walking slowly toward the dais. 

"Not when she's over fifty, it isn't…" Harry muttered. Snape just gave an amused snort. "Remus is looking sort of tired, isn't he?" The Gryffindor tilted his head slightly in the direction of the Defence teacher. Lupin was watching the group as they entered and he recognized the look that some of them were giving him. The wizard rolled his eyes in exasperation, causing some of the concerned students to laugh. Lupin was one of the best Defence teachers the school had ever had and the students got along well enough with him, except for the odd Slytherin, who simply refused to say anything good about ex-Gryffindors.

"He is all right," Snape responded but black eyes looked at his lover in concern. 

"Sev, make sure he doesn't do too much. He is still weak from the attack," Harry informed his godfather seriously. 

"Yes, I know that," Snape answered in an irritated tone and a matching scowl. "You and your friends had better make sure that _you_ do not give him too much of a hard time." 

"Then I think _you_ have to make sure he'll leave out the physical exercise for another week or so," Harry replied. The boy was just about to sit when it occurred to him that his godfather might find evening visits inconvenient. "Sev, about our evenings…"

"They will not change, Harry. I still expect you to study in my presence and without. I will think about whether I should allow Draco to join us too," Snape said carefully. 

Harry smiled brightly at him before taking his usual seat opposite Dean, and where Draco usually sat. Quietly, he observed the chaotic scene of students as they chatted, greeted old friends and cramped themselves on the benches. _I wonder where Dumbledore is._ He looked around but the wizard was not present in the Hall. 

"Our presences do not hurt you?" Hermione asked cheerfully, a little out of breath. That snapped Harry out of his musings and he realized that the magical waves radiating from the hundreds of students had no effect on him. 

"No, actually," he answered, looking relieved. _Maybe being with a handful of people this summer helped me lose most of the sensitivity._ Moments later, Hermione and Ron sat beside him. 

"Damn… I'm hungry…" Ron groaned but kept his mouth shut when Hermione gave him a look. 

Harry shook his head in amusement, emerald eyes glimmering in the light of thousands of floating candles. 

"Here comes your boyfriend," Ron whispered into his left ear. Harry didn't really need the notification since he felt Draco's burning presence. The feeling was akin to the comforting warmth that was always present in a loving home after a cold day outside. It was a reflection of how much he had come to care for the icy Slytherin. Harry turned his head slightly and watched the crowd part as the cool, sharp-chinned Draco walked toward Blaise. There were sighs of appreciation throughout the Hall and the green-eyed Gryffindor couldn't help but chuckle at the attention his boyfriend commanded. 

Draco had stopped gelling up his hair when summer began. He had let it grow out until just the day before; Mrs. Weasley made sure that it didn't touch his collar. Harry knew he was staring at Draco openly but he wasn't able to focus his attention elsewhere. Draco glowed in the candlelight and the soft hue of dark stormy silver made the Slytherin look ethereal and somewhat _appetizing_. 

**__**

"Want a taste of me?" Draco offered cheekily, looking at him. Several Ravenclaws thought the Slytherin was looking at them. There were several delighted squeals and comments about how gorgeous he looked.

**__**

"Stuff it." Harry managed to glare at the pale-haired Slytherin.

"Where are those apes?" Ron asked, eyes scanning the Slytherin crowd. 

"Yes, where are they?" Harry chorused and a frown appeared on his serene face. "I know I revived Theodore before the train came to a complete stop."

"And what did you do to him _before_ that?" Hermione asked suspiciously. 

"I didn't do anything. Drake was the one who did it," Harry said impassively, not really paying attention to what he was saying. His mind was preoccupied with the seriousness of Dumbledore's face as the Headmaster came to join his staff. Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle aided a shaky-looking Theodore while Leren and Pansy wore beatified smirks on their faces. 

"What do you think they told Dumbledore?" Ron asked Harry in a low voice. 

"Probably something to get Draco sacked from his Prefect duties and probably get Blaise into trouble as well," he answered tiredly. His eyes sought out his silver-eyed lover's. 

Draco seemed to understand what was going through his mind. **_"Don't worry. I'm not feeling guilty for putting Theodore to sleep, though it _was_ unethical of me to have done so," _**the Slytherin told him softly. 

**__**

"What do you think is going to happen?" 

"I don't know," Draco admitted. **_"Dumbledore will probably call me into his office; maybe Blaise too… Depends on what they have told the Headmaster…" _**Harry felt only silence after that, since Blaise was urgently whispering into Draco's ear. The Gryffindor could see Draco telling the other Slytherin not to panic. 

Leren's group reached the table where Draco sat but before the Quidditch captain could tell Blaise and the pale-haired Slytherin to sit somewhere else, a group of enthusiastic fifth-year Slytherins shouldered them aside and sat down on the available seats instead. 

Harry couldn't contain his curiosity so he asked, **_"Did you bribe them to back you up?"_**

"Kind of," Draco replied, a little uneasy at the sudden question.

**__**

"And where did you find the money?" Harry inquired with narrowed eyes. 

**__**

"I didn't promise them money, Green-Eyes…" 

"Then what_ did you promise?" _There was a slight edge in his question.

**__**

"Social service," Draco replied lightly. 

Harry's eyes darted swiftly to assess the group of boys and girls surrounding Draco and Blaise. _Merlin… no… Not dates!_

A green apple nearly hit him in the face but missed, hitting the gray stone wall instead. "What the hell did you do that for?" Harry yelled, unaware that he had done so aloud. Those who saw the fruit flying through the air looked at him before turning to study the one who had aimed it. Draco was straightening his sleeve, managing to look innocent at the same time. 

**__**

"Peer-tutoring! Green-Eyes, what in Merlin's name were you thinking?!" 

"You're bloody intolerable…" Harry moaned.

**__**

"And you're bloody dense!" Draco snorted in the distance. The two failed to notice that Professor Flitwick and the new batch of students were already lined up to be Sorted. Harry rarely paid attention to the Sorting Hat's new song but there was one particular phrase that sent chills down his spine. Professor Trelawney hissed and even Dumbledore looked at the Sorting Hat in a strange way. 

__

"Too late to take action; the poison has begun to bleed within the walls. Beware."

Professor Flitwick who was standing on a conjured platform, looked at the Hat worriedly and stared into Dumbledore's face. The Sorting Hat didn't say the ceremony would begin so the Charms professor informed the first-years. He began calling names and one by one, the youngsters sat nervously on the stool as the Hat was placed upon their heads. 

When it was over, even Dumbledore's light-hearted speech before supper seemed slightly forced. Harry's friends and Draco suddenly lost their appetites. Ron even _forced_ himself to keep his mouth full, just to pretend that everything was normal. It helped everyone a little and Hermione had the chance to scold her boyfriend for talking with his mouth full. But it was the first time the group was eager to hear what warnings Dumbledore had for the students. 

"As usual, the Forbidden Forest is out-of-bounds to students. Magic is strictly forbidden in the corridors in between classes," Dumbledore looked at Draco and Harry oddly, "as well as many other magical items. A complete listing may be found on Mr. Filch's office door." Then the Headmaster continued to inform the students that they would still be having the Inter-House Quidditch Championship, and of a slight change in their normal curriculum. Finally, every student had to be in their own common room by nine in the evening.

Their meal resumed but was soon interrupted when a piece of parchment materialized in front of Harry. 

"Uh oh…" Ginny said, looking at Harry's face. It was a note from Dumbledore. 

**__**

"Drake, did Dumbledore send you something?" Harry asked.

**__**

"Yes, he did… I can't wait to hear what Leren has accused me of," Draco responded in a false cheery tone. 

***********

Harry and Draco walked side by side, their robes whispering softly as they moved. The corridor was dim but starlight passed through the huge windows located on the castle walls. They heard the distant creak of the magical stairs as they changed direction, followed by vindictive cursing from some boys. Ghosts slipped in and out of sight as they went about patrolling the school grounds, something that had become a standard practice after the late Sirius Black broke into the school to allegedly murder Harry. 

Blaise walked slightly ahead of them, uneasy about having to watch anything happening between the couple. All three boys were going to see Dumbledore. Harry's hand involuntarily reached for Draco's. The Slytherin was a little surprised but didn't pull away. 

**_"Do you think…" _**Draco's thought trailed off. 

**_"What is it?" _**Harry asked, looking at Draco's profile before focusing his eyes on Blaise. 

**_"Do you think we could take walks like this?" _**the Slytherin asked wistfully.

**_"It _is_ rather romantic," _**the raven-haired Gryffindor answered with a crooked smile. **_"I don't know. Trying to walk under an Invisibility Cloak spoils the mood…" _**

Draco sighed and squeezed Harry's palm. **_"It's just… tonight is beautiful." _**The Slytherin's thought caressed his mind, sending tingles all over his body. Draco continued to admire the starlight coming through the windows. Harry was tempted to pull his lover into an alcove he sighted just ahead of them but he doubted that Blaise would thank them for leaving him to face the Headmaster alone. 

They turned a corner and finally came upon the statue of the gargoyle. 

"What's the password?" Blaise asked in a hushed voice. 

"Acid pops." 

Draco raised an eyebrow at that but didn't speak as the secret entrance revealed itself. The three made their way up the spiral staircase. When they respectfully entered the Headmaster's office, it was to find Snape and a violently sneezing McGonagall also in the room. 

"Please," Dumbledore waved at them from behind his desk, "take a seat." 

**_"Shouldn't she be resting?" _**Draco asked with a frown. 

Harry looked at Snape for any indication about why his Head was present. _Damn. I hope I haven't done anything to get me expelled… for real. _The panicked thought floated through his mind. 

"Something of grave importance made me request that all of you to be present in this room — You have my apologies for that, Minerva. Blaise, I will be with you shortly. Please take a seat there," the wizard pointed at the armchair closest to Fawkes, "and if you would do me a favor, could you please feed my phoenix?" The Slytherin moved off to do as was asked of him without complaint.

Dumbledore stared at the silver-eyed Slytherin somberly, "Draco, it has come to my attention that you hexed a fellow student while you were on the journey to Hogwarts." 

"Yes, sir," Draco answered without hesitation. 

"Why?" the old wizard asked and waited for the Slytherin's answer. However, the boy remained silent. Blue eyes stared penetratingly into silver ones. 

Finally, the young Slytherin relented. "If I hadn't done so, they would probably be going around trying to revert the thinking of more Slytherins and probably hex more Gryffindors in the process."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "You noticed that your actions prevented Miss Parkinson from doing her duties as prefect?" Draco chose not to reply and the old wizard did not press him to answer. "Miss Bulstrode informed me that you did the same thing to Miss Parkinson earlier this summer. Without the use of your wand. Is that true?"

"Yes, sir. But _that_ was an accident," Draco said fiercely. 

"And what about this afternoon? Was it accidental?" 

"No, sir. I knew what I wanted to do."

"And you wanted to …?" 

"I wanted to hit him several times actually but I settled on something that would keep _their _minds busy. Like trying to wake Theodore…" 

"Hmmmm…" Dumbledore made a sound and looked at Draco thoughtfully. The old wizard then clasped his hands on the desk and leaned forward, eyes boring mercilessly into those of the Slytherin prefect. "I will not suspend you from your duties since you were able to ensure that the ride to Hogwarts would be a peaceful one. I thank you for letting the first-years make friends with each other before they were Sorted." A shadow seemed to pass over his face when the word was uttered. "However, I advise you not to use your other talents on your fellow students, even if you think they deserve it. It is extremely unfair since they do not have the resources that you do. I will not, of course, hold anything against you should you need to deal with far more _experienced _wizards or witches."

"You should not be —" McGonagall was saying before she was interrupted by a sneeze, "— encouraging —" another sneeze, "— him, Albus." The professor sniffed and blew her nose delicately into a handkerchief.

"I think it is time for you to start training your other talents, young Draco. Learn them and control them. Luckily for you, Theodore is all right though he seems to be slightly confused," Dumbledore said in amusement. 

Draco's face lit up at Dumbledore's suggestion but his expression fell quickly. "But how? I don't understand the magic myself…" 

"You will not be doing it alone." The Headmaster finally smiled. "I will help you. We might as well see if I'm really as wise as they say I am. And of course, _he_ willaid you." Dumbledore gave Harry a significant stare. "But I'm afraid that you will have to withdraw yourself from the Quidditch team, Draco. I wish to commit myself to training you, but it must be on Fridays and Saturdays. I'll expect you to rise with the sun," the wizard said slyly, more for Harry's benefit than the Slytherin's. 

**_"The term's barely begun and I already have a major workload…" _**Harry groaned. 

**_"You're just lazy." _**Draco gave the Gryffindor an evil smirk. 

"I think it's time for us to discuss something much more serious that the usual meeting of two opposite minds on the Hogwarts Express," Dumbledore finally said after allowing Harry and Draco to share their thoughts. "Blaise," he called and the other Slytherin immediately got up from his seat. Fawkes gave a wistful whistle as the boy's fingers ceased their scratching on his crest. All of them waited as Blaise made himself comfortable on another chair. 

"It was brought to my attention that the arson that occurred in _your _neighborhood might have been related to the incidents that happened at The Burrow and some other places," the Headmaster said slowly. 

Harry blinked and studied Dumbledore with his head tilted slightly. "Professor?" 

"Yes?"

"Leren didn't say anything else? Just that Draco managed to send his friend to sleep?" Harry asked. 

Dumbledore was surprised but told Harry that they only mentioned that Draco had used his powers unprofessionally. _Now this is weird, _the Gryffindor thought. _Leren knows that we would tell… or at least discuss Blaise's accusations to Dumbledore. Why didn't they fabricate any stories to back themselves up? _He waited to hear Draco's opinion about the matter. 

**__**

"I don't know. It's not like Leren not to have any back-up plans. If Blaise tells Dumbledore about what happened to the Muggles, in conjunction with a truth serum, won't Dumbledore take his word seriously?" The Slytherin frowned, oblivious to the consternated looks of Dumbledore and Snape. 

**__**

"Maybe Leren is hoping that all Blaise has to give Dumbledore is circumstantial evidence," Harry hazarded. 

"If the two of you have something important to discuss, would you mind sharing it with the rest of us?" Snape asked with an irritated look. 

"Sorry," Harry mumbled.

"Blaise, I would like to know what actually happened and was anyone hurt?" the Headmaster continued. 

"You don't know?" Blaise looked up at the ancient wizard with bright eyes that suddenly blazed with fury. 

Draco calmly reached out for the boy's arm. "If you start saying something that goes along the line of 'The Boy Who Lived is all that matters to you,' I'm going to smack your forehead against this magnificent desk," the prefect said calmly. The anger in Blaise abruptly dissipated when he saw the blonde-haired person giving him a withering look. 

"There were casualties?" Dumbledore inquired, seemingly disturbed by the student's agitation. Blaise nodded. His silent reply made McGonagall sit up straighter in her chair. Harry and Draco looked curiously at her; the professor was frowning.

"Albus, Regan didn't mention anything about deaths," the Transfiguration teacher spoke in a small voice.

Harry narrowed his eyes when he heard the name. _Could it be? _"Professors, did this… Regan… also fail to mention that a witch had been hospitalized?" 

"The fire originated in _my _drawing room," Blaise said quietly. "My mother happened to be in there when the unfrozen Ashwinder eggs exploded and set the room ablaze."

"It takes more than a couple of eggs to badly injure someone," Snape opined. His eyebrows furrowed closely together as he tried to imagine the damage done by four Ashwinder eggs. 

"There was some sort of metallic substance surrounding the eggs," Blaise said as he reached into his pocket, rummaging inside for several moments before producing two separate packets. He handed both to the Potions Master. One of the plastic packets contained a tiny glass vial that seemed similar to Snape's own glassware. In the bottom of the other bag was a layer of moldy green powder that had a curious purple sheen to it when the packet was slowly waved back and forth in the candlelight. 

Snape conjured a small container and placed the second packet inside. He then sealed the bottle tightly and reinforced the airtight conditions with a spell. His eyes lingered on the glass vial. 

"I will tell you something, Professor Dumbledore. I have no idea how the eggs got there in the first place," Blaise said with deep regret. 

"It could have been an accident," Snape told him but the boy shrugged.

"One Muggle family died because of the fire save for a set of twins that a doctor managed to save," the Slytherin continued and Dumbledore's frown deepened. 

"I was not aware that the fire was extensive enough to kill several people. And were more Muggles involved after that?" 

"It was messy — trying to set memories or so one witch said to my uncle." 

"How is your mother?" Snape asked abruptly. Blaise visibly withered. 

"I don't know. She looked okay when I last saw her. I have to wait until my father sends the family owl to Hogwarts." 

After that, Dumbledore began to interrogate the boy, with McGonagall and Snape doing cross-examinations. When the interview was over, McGonagall seemed better, Snape looked tired and Dumbledore was showing signs of stress. The old wizard was reluctant to face the fact that some of his students had planned the deaths of several humans. However, when Blaise offered another packet of evidence collected from the site of the 'accident', Dumbledore found that some sort of action was needed. All they had to go by were Blaise's words that he knew who the perpetrators were. A torn piece of fabric, some skin and several strands of leg hair proved that the boy knew what he was doing. 

Snape calmly opened another possibility: Blaise was trying to get Leren and the other suspects expelled. A headache began to grow in Harry's head. They had to wait for several minutes so that the Potions Master could get a bottle of Veritaserum. The interrogation started all over again, with Blaise's answers now induced by the Truth Serum. His tale was nearly the same and Dumbledore had to conclude that the boy was telling the truth. Their next step was to conduct an experiment with the piece of fabric, skin and hair. They waited another two hours before the potion Snape had made on short notice was ready. The aluminium-like solution worked like a mirror; it would reflect the owner of the three pieces of evidence. Snape highly believed that they all came from one source. 

The Potions Master made them stand several feet away when he added the human components. He too, backed up and just in time as the liquid boiled up and caused sparks to fly. When the reaction receded, Snape gestured that they could safely approach the pot. Harry peered down at the boiling surface cautiously, half-expecting to see a monster in the event that the evidence wasn't connected to a single person. 

"That's Leren!" Draco exclaimed. 

"How can you be sure? Leren does look a lot like his older brother," Harry said. 

"It's Leren," the Slytherin insisted. "He has bigger shoulders."

"And how would you know that?" the raven-haired Gryffindor asked sweetly. Draco's expression changed and he began to look guilty as Harry stared at him. Blaise made a sound of disgust at the exchange and looked at Dumbledore instead. 

"Well…" The Headmaster fell silent. He reached into his robe for a pocket watch. It was nearing eleven and the students had to be in bed. "Too late to take action; the poison has begun to bleed within the walls. Beware indeed," the long-bearded wizard muttered. "I can do absolutely nothing to them, short of expelling them from Hogwarts." He sighed deeply. Everyone stared at one another except for Snape. He was cleaning the cauldron of its contents after getting permission from Dumbledore. 

"I will first summon the 'selected' students in the morning tomorrow. If they have the mark that Blaise has told us about, I believe eyes should be on them," Dumbledore said resolutely. Then, as if speaking to himself, he muttered, "I _hate_ being attacked on two fronts. Why Tom insists on involving youngsters, I have no idea." He looked surprised to find that everyone was still in his office. 

"Harry, Draco," Dumbledore began, "I'll need you to study something." Both boys looked at him in a very Hedwig-like fashion. "If Leren is indeed dangerous to the students and is going to harm someone or do something bad, I'll need the two of you to cast a spell on him so that he won't be able to use magic when that time comes."

"Wait! Why me?" Draco asked in bewilderment. 

Dumbledore allowed a small smile to escape from his lips. "If he tries to do something, it could be a signal for something major to happen. Why _you _should help Harry is simple enough. Sharing a duty is far easier and less taxing, just in case something major does occur."

"You _did_ create a shield that absorbed the Killing Curse," Snape mused, looking down at his favorite student. Then he turned a skeptical face toward the Headmaster. "Sir, I'd like to remind you that one can attack in different ways — not only magically."

"That is why I also asked Harry," Dumbledore answered but did not elaborate.

Harry blinked. It seemed that the Headmaster was somewhat reluctant to discuss the matter while Blaise was present. _Looks like this school year will start with more inventions,_ the Gryffindor thought. _We need to create a spell that will alert us if Leren or one of the others is up to mischief… We could always have something to follow and watch him all the time… but… creating something… creating something that is able to think on its own… _He gulped. _Won't I be tampering with Nature? _

****

"Is there no other way? Can't we just create spells, charms, hexes… whatever?" Draco inquired. 

**_"But creating a familiar would be less of a burden. I was thinking of using Empathy to monitor Leren but it requires too much energy, Drake," _**Harry answered uneasily.

**_"But do we have time?"_** Clear silver eyes looked deeply into his. **_"I have the feeling that Voldemort will come here… to Hogwarts… for the final battle."_**

"Why do you think he'll attack us here?" Harry asked and his sudden question earned him several irritated looks from the professors. 

"All of us are here right? Professor Dumbledore, you, Professor Snape. If _he _chooses to ambush us… say in the middle of class or even a Quidditch match, what do you think _we'd _do? Run away?" Draco asked in a superior-like tone. 

"I don't think so," Harry answered. _If it happened rather suddenly, my first instinct would be to stand firm._ **_"I'll give it three days. If I'm incapable of creating something, we'll just have to think about spells that would give us the same results."_**

"You could share the task with your friends," Snape said silkily. 

Harry smacked his forehead with his palm for his stupidity. _Hermione! She would be able to find solutions like this quicker than I could! **"Drake, Hermione could be our backup by researching for spells and charms!" **_

"Funny… you didn't even think about the possibility. Be careful, Green-Eyes. You're getting more selfish. Trying to do everything on your own…" Draco shook his head reprovingly but his eyes were smiling. 

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry suddenly asked. 

"He's on vacation," McGonagall answered. She quickly rushed to respond when Harry's face showed anxiety. "Real vacation this time."

"He went off to see how Norbert was doing," Dumbledore replied lightly. "Probably having the time of his life now that he gets to ride the dragon."

"Oh…" 

"And there's one other thing I'd like you to do," Dumbledore quickly inserted before he lost the boys' attention. "Please _publicize _your friendship." 

Several voices filled the almost quiet office, ending with Draco's shout, "That's a very bad idea!" 

"Why?" Dumbledore asked innocently.

"Because … because… it'd make me look like I've lost the Slytherins' favor!" the Slytherin complained and Harry agreed with him, nodding his head vigorously.

"What about the retinue that you recruited tonight?" the old wizard asked serenely. 

Harry and Draco exchanged a look. "We'll think about it," Harry said before exiting the office, with his boyfriend tagging along lazily after him. 

**********

Dumbledore almost pouted at their rudeness but shrugged. _Maybe I've asked them to do too many things at once._ "I think I can safely say that Draco is probably sharing Harry's bedroom. _You_ will not be safe sharing the dormitory with the other boys." He looked at Blaise with a sympathetic smile. The boy was trying not to yawn in the presence of the teachers. "Since Draco has his own room, I think you can use it… Draco could always share the room with you." 

Winky appeared, ready to take Blaise to his new sleeping area. The Slytherin muttered inaudibly before following the small house-elf quietly. Dumbledore went back to his seat, wondering why he didn't immediately make himself comfortable after the experiment. Snape and McGonagall took the silent cue to sit. 

"We are racing against time, aren't we, Albus?" McGonagall asked, pinching the space between her eyes. 

"I'm afraid so." The Headmaster gave a long sigh. That was all he said, though there were many things that were going through his mind. _Will Harry be ready this soon? Can Hogwarts withstand the challenge or will it collapse? _

_"So many doubts…" _a voice spoke in his head. _"That will not do, Albus. You need to be strong and believe that Harry is able to end this war, in the way it should end. You will not help the school by filling yourself with uncertainty and doubt."_

Dumbledore barely paid attention to Snape's request to leave and McGonagall almost disappeared into the background as he focused on his inner thoughts. 

"Albus…" the voice seemed to be coming from somewhere far away until a pinch brought him to his senses. "Are you coming?" McGonagall was waiting by a bookshelf, looking at him invitingly. 

__

Well, one night's sleep won't harm anyone. I wonder if I should start thinking about retirement already. Dumbledore smiled as he stood up. He whistled softly and Fawkes magically appeared on his wrist. With a negligent wave of his other hand, he extinguished the candles and offered the sick Transfiguration teacher his arm.

**********

****

Three nights later…

Supper had a new look on Thursday night. Draco Malfoy, the pride of Slytherin had turned up after his Potions lesson with his new entourage and promptly sat in the middle of the Gryffindor table. His appearance was so sudden that Ron barked out sharply, "Are you mad?" However, his irritation could also have been attributed to the way Draco pushed the redhead aside so that he could sit beside Harry. Fifth-year Slytherins looked at seventh-year (and one sixth-year) Gryffindors in apprehension but within ten minutes everyone was seated in a way that was comfortable for the students of both Houses. 

Something that had never occurred during official mealtimes finally took place. A couple of Ravenclaws who had been watching Draco suddenly made a bold decision to go over to the more humble Hufflepuffs. Professor Sprout looked at the scene in surprise and whispered into Madam Hooch's ear. 

"Did Potter arrange this or did Dumbledore?" 

"I have no clue… Malfoy's appearance seemed pre-planned to me but the rest looks rather spontaneous…"

"This is good!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed. 

There was one teacher who wasn't that happy with the change and it surprised Lupin to no end. "What's wrong?"

"Wait and see," Snape mumbled, grimacing as he took a sip of pumpkin juice. So the Defence professor waited. And waited. 

After twenty minutes, it became clear why the Potions Master wasn't as ecstatic as the easy-going Charms teacher. Snape was a man who loved the quiet and the Hall was no longer serene... The noise level had gradually increased. 

"Well, at least the students are happy," Lupin said and Snape reluctantly agreed with the observation.

Back at the Gryffindor table, Harry was comparing his Potions notes with Draco and Hermione. Amazingly, Draco and Hermione never argued when it came to tutoring him in Potions. Harry wrote down what he felt was useful but had somehow missed when he was in class. Either he hadn't paid enough attention or his tutors knew the topic well enough to incorporate the knowledge they had absorbed from the textbook into their notebooks. His mind had been preoccupied lately and he was grouchy since his boyfriend was as distracted as he was. Despite this, however, Draco was able to cope in class much better than Harry was.

**__**

"Do you think we ought to unleash the spell now? Leren's stuck here with the rest of them." Draco secretly squeezed Harry's hand from under the table. Dumbledore had sadly concluded that three of the students summoned (Leren, Theodore and Pansy) had Zabini's crest on their necks. 

**__**

"Really? How come?" 

"Professor Trelawney was kind enough to give us homework. The assignment is the usual —**_ 'What do you predict will happen in the next three months?' _That** **_group has little imagination to speak of," _**Draco said in amusement. He scowled when Harry started to laugh. 

Draco wondered where he picked up the habit of smacking Harry with whatever that came in handy. 

__

SMACK!

Harry yowled in pain. The look the Gryffindor gave him was so adorable that Draco had to remind himself that Dumbledore allowed them to make their friendship known, _not_ their relationship. 

**__**

"You look marvelous, Green-Eyes…" The compliment caught Harry off-guard and he blushed. **_"Well … are we going to do the spell or not?"_**

"All right! Don't get excited!" Harry popped a custard puff in his mouth before turning sideways. He felt uncomfortable and was starting to feel cramps in his waist and hip so he shifted again, this time straddling the bench. Draco mirrored his position and Harry reached for the pale hands, carefully clasping them with his palms facing upwards. By now, the two had attracted the attention of students around them. 

"What's going on there?" someone from the lower end of the Gryffindor table asked curiously. 

"Just a contest of wills. Nothing to get excited about," Ron answered loudly, sounding as if he had witnessed Harry and Draco acting like that frequently. Several Hufflepuffs looked over at the ex-enemies skeptically before shrugging and returning to their suppers. 

**__**

"Ready?" Harry asked and Draco nodded his assent. They began the spellcasting by first merging their minds. Everything around them began to dim and they listened for the music that was uniquely theirs: the sound of their racing heartbeats whenever they were together. They settled more deeply into the trance, heavily relying on Hermione and Ron for protection should someone try to hex them. 

When they felt they were truly one in heart and mind, Draco and Harry opened their eyes and focused on their hands. Minutes passed but nothing seemed out of ordinary until Harry felt the tiniest sensation of warmth. There was a tiny bulb of light floating above Draco's palms. It slowly grew and with it, so did the intensity of the heat it gave off. The Gryffindor was sure that the heat scorched his thumbs but he determinedly held on. 

Draco had given him the fuel element to work on, and it was finally time for him to do his part. It was tedious and was far more difficult than when Harry created the bracelet for Draco. Slowly and carefully, Harry began to let information and intelligence flow into the sphere of green fire. His lover was beginning to tire as the orb became denser. The Slytherin painstakingly shaped the orb with his mind. It was his fire after all and it bent to his will much easier than to Harry's. The orb pulsed brightly and slowly began to separate into three smaller balls. 

Everyone ceased breathing as they watched the dancing bulbs in rapture. Then the fire began to fade to the disappointment of the observers. Draco's relief was almost palpable to Harry. The spell had worked after all. Now, they had three silver-metallic-like intelligent fairies to keep an eye on Leren and the others. Harry peered closely at one of their newly created creatures and started to laugh. 

**__**

"What?" Draco asked crossly but his boyfriend didn't cease. 

**__**

"They look so much like Hermione!" Harry guffawed.

"Harry James Potter. If you don't stop laughing this instant, I'm going to smack you with this plate," Draco threatened. The Gryffindor quickly swallowed his mirth and instructed the three fairies to attach themselves to Pansy, Theodore and Leren. 

"Harry, did it work?" Hermione whispered urgently. Ron leaned over Draco's shoulder to hear the conversation. 

"Yeah, it did. Can't you see them?" he asked inquisitively. Hermione shook her head. "Well…" Harry paused for a moment. "It seems like only Drake and I can see them. _They _don't look like they've noticed they're being watched," he said as he studied Leren and company.

"I wonder what they look like," Hermione said wistfully but her thoughts were redirected when Ginny asked her about Potions.

**__**

"Her birthday's coming soon, right?" Draco began. **_"Why don't you make a quill holder for her?"_**

"Just what is it about Hermione and fairies?" Harry asked in amusement. 

**__**

"I think it's her smile…" 

"Hey ya, 'Arry!" Hagrid's voice boomed cheerfully from across the Hall. 

"Hagrid!" several voices exclaimed at once. 

"How's dragon-riding?" Ron asked as he shook Hagrid's huge hand. 

"It was bloody fantastic!" Hagrid roared and Harry got the impression that the half-giant was drunk. However, the gamekeeper was merely exhilarated. Mercurially, the gentle man's mood changed dramatically. "I'll catch up with all of you later… I have a message to deliver now…" 

Harry's group watched the huge man move around the Hall and when they realized where he was heading, they became uneasy. Hermione watched Blaise worriedly as he accepted a letter and another huge envelope from the gamekeeper. Harry was nearly flattened by the sudden wave of grief that emanated from the Slytherin. 

**__**

"Drake, I think he's going to have a breakdown…" he sent an urgent thought to his lover. 

"Professor," Blaise croaked out, "this is meant for Professor Dumbledore." The Slytherin's voice was hoarse. Then he took off suddenly. 

"Damn!" Draco swore, scrambling out from his seat to chase after his housemate. Harry followed and interestingly, so did Luna. 

"The two of you," Draco yelled at Harry and the Ravenclaw, "Don't you dare misuse the password! It's 'Nightshade'!" 

The three scuttled down into the dungeons and Draco led them to a portrait leading to the Slytherin dormitories. Draco quickly shouted the password at the portrait guarding the entrance and the rest bolted through. Some younger Slytherins were wide-eyed when they saw that non-housemates had just entered their dungeon and were dashing up the spiral staircase at breakneck speed. 

Draco was already pounding at the door, demanding that Blaise let him in. He was about to blast the door with a curse when Harry stopped him. 

"Calm down," the Gryffindor spoke harshly and began concentrating on the spells that were defending the door. Harry's eyes traced the magical lines and when he spotted a knot connecting them together, he 'pulled', much like the way Draco had pulled Snape to safety from Lucius weeks ago.

Harry cautiously opened the door. It was pitch black. 

__

"Lumos," Luna commanded softly under her breath, holding her wand right in front of her. They spotted the Slytherin sitting against the bed, hunched down and crying. "Draco, close the door. Don't bother with the lights," she instructed. 

The platinum-headed boy did as she asked and none too soon, for they heard several Slytherins approaching the door. Harry placed Silencing Charms around them and sat down on a chair. It was dark and he couldn't see but his gift of Empathy allowed him to pinpoint the locations of Luna and Blaise accurately. He assumed that Draco was using his gift of Othersight to do the same thing. Seconds later, he felt arms slowly wrapping about his shoulders and smiled when Draco kissed the top of his head lightly.

Luna was moving on her knees, carefully groping to find Blaise and fervently praying that she wouldn't touch _anything_ accidentally. She finally found what she was looking for and breathed a sigh of relief. She carefully sat on the floor, not letting go of the hand she had found. 

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"It's none of your damn business!" 

"So? It's your mother, isn't it?" Luna said in a peculiar tone. 

"She's dead," Blaise replied in a flat tone. "She couldn't bear the pain and stopped fighting…"

Luna sighed. "I know and understand how you feel." She crept closer to the Slytherin. "My mother died in the same way… although she knew that there was a possibility of accidents occurring…" Her voice was soft and calming to the nerves.

Harry truly sympathized with Blaise. _I wonder how Mr. Zabini is doing… From the looks of it, he and his wife were rather close…_

****

"I thought she was smitten with you," Draco remarked. 

**__**

"Drake, how could you think of teasing when someone's grieving?" 

"Sorry, Green-Eyes… It's just… I don't want to feel depressed." 

**********

Dumbledore stared at the parchment in disbelief. He had tried for months to get the goblins to either support them or remain neutral. However, it now seemed like the goblin race was ready to wage war on Voldemort by themselves. _If I had received the alliance from the Zabinis years ago, Juliana might still be alive today. I should have known that Blaise's father would have strong connections to them._

He slid the parchment into its envelope and massaged his temple lightly. _The war will reach its peak soon… _

**********

**_Firesword: _**Wishing all of you a happy Valentine's day!


	16. The Unexpected Reactions

****

Firesword: Chapter is rated 'R' because of sex talks… A short chapter compared to the rest…

****

~ Chapter 16: The Unexpected Reactions ~

Friday, September 19. 

"Drake! Watch out!" Harry yelled and Draco cursed as he was nearly hit by a dozen arrows of green light. 

**_"Where's Sev?" _**he asked, after ducking behind the wall of desks that had been stacked up earlier. The Slytherin reinforced the barriers with a Stabilizing Charm before looking over to his left. 

The raven-haired Gryffindor was panting with effort. He had been running all over the huge classroom trying to spot their assailants. His godfather and Dumbledore had cast so many spells that he or Draco couldn't depend on sensing their enemies by Empathy or Sight.

**_"Forget Sev," _**Harry said. **_"It's Dumbledore we have to worry about. He's gathering his forces behind Barricade Four." _**

**_"Oh damn! He's getting too near our stronghold."_** Draco swore pungently. He began rolling up his sleeves, getting ready to act. **_"We have to attack before he crosses Barricade Five _**—**_ Push him back into his lines." _**

They heard a loud creak and suddenly the stack of desks that was shielding Harry began to tremble. Green eyes flared and Harry made a quick dash over to the Slytherin. Barricade Eight had just fallen to the 'enemy'. It took them only ten seconds to figure what to do next. It was unfortunate for the house-elves and Filch; Harry was sure they would be driven mad trying to clear up the mess from the four duelers. 

**_"Ready?" _**Harry asked and Draco nodded with a smile. They moved as one, Harry defending his lover with a shield so they could move forward without being hexed into oblivion. The Slytherin bore a maniacal grin as he walked with arms outstretched, right hand holding his yew wand firmly. A line of energy began to form, connected by his palms. All of sudden, it vanished. The raven-haired Gryffindor thought his lover had failed but watched carefully as he saw Draco's palms move slightly. 

"Severus! Fall back!" Dumbledore yelled. 

Harry and Draco watched calmly as the Headmaster gathered his robes and fled to the other end of the classroom with the Potions Master close behind. Barricades Two and Three began to disintegrate. The tumbling of dozens of desks onto the floor was just short of apocalypse. The crash thundered throughout the castle, startling McGonagall who was grading homework, causing the owls resting in the Owlery to take flight and even distracting the practicing Ravenclaws, causing them to lose the friendly Quidditch match to Gryffindor since Ginny took the opportunity to catch the Snitch.

**_"We finally managed to win a game!" _**Draco exclaimed happily. 

**_"Don't start gloating. We have to get out of the classroom without being trapped all over again," _**Harry cautioned his gleeful boyfriend. 

That elicited another maniacal grin from the silver-eyed Slytherin. **_"Would you help me seal them in?" _**Draco asked innocently and Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what his boyfriend intend to do. The two boys faced the wizards at the other end of the room. 

_"Rictusempra!" _Draco yelled suddenly and managed to hex the two professors. **_"Surround them with the desks! Quickly!" _**

**_"Brilliant!" _**Harry started to grin. The two students worked fast, trapping the two wizards between walls of desks, effectively creating a maze. They ran and blasted out into the corridor, surprising students who had gathered outside the classroom to investigate the noise. Harry and Draco started congratulating each other for their successful escape from their 'captors'. Then they heard Dumbledore's voice requesting mildly, 

"Could someone direct us out of the maze please?"

"Headmaster, I think this is a good time for us to rely on Fawkes," Snape suggested.

"Why didn't I think of that? Fawkes … what?" Dumbledore sounded astonished. "You're not helping?" The old wizard was offended. 

The two boys started laughing and went in search of the nearest bathroom to wash up.

*********

****

In the Hall…

Harry was halfway through dinner when a very disgruntled Dumbledore walked in, followed by Snape. He couldn't seem to stop glaring at Draco. Fawkes circled over their heads before perching behind McGonagall's chair. The students, who had never seen the Headmaster's familiar gawked and pointed at the brilliantly feathered mystical bird.

Harry noticed Hermione was about to get up. Due to the special occasion, Hermione was sitting in between him and her boyfriend. "Where are you going?" he asked curiously. 

"I have a headache so I thought I should go to bed early," she said with a faint smile. "Night…" 

"Hang on!" Ron caught her arm and pulled her down. "Birthday party hasn't started," he whispered in her ear. Hermione sighed but complied, ignoring her own discomfort.

Ginny and her group of girls burst through the door pushing a trolley with a cake and sweets on it toward the group as they sang a birthday song for the prefect. Hermione blushed furiously and dropped her eyes in embarrassment, painfully aware that the boys around her were grinning madly. 

"Go on! Make a wish!" Ron urged her as he kissed her hand fondly. He heard McGonagall clear her throat loudly at the display but the Gryffindor ignored it. As his girlfriend closed her eyes and blew out a candle, he signaled to Seamus to pass his bag. When Hermione opened her eyes, Ron held out her birthday present. 

She gracefully accepted and fluttered her eyes shyly at Ron. "Can I take a peek?" 

"Uh…" Ron's cheeks and ears turned red, his eyes darkening with uncertainty. "Just as long it's peeking," he said finally.

Hermione slowly unwrapped the present and cautiously peeked inside. It turned out to be a dark, shiny blue, spaghetti-strapped nightgown. She let out an exclamation and took the clothing out to admire it. When she held the garment up high so that most of the students and professors could see, Ron groaned at his girlfriend's excitement. Loud whistles and catcalls erupted, making Harry laugh loudly. 

"The twins would be really proud of you!" someone from the Hufflepuff table shouted and there were calls of agreement. 

"Oh Ron! You shouldn't have! This is wonderful!" Hermione blabbered merrily as she hugged her boyfriend as tightly as she could. Ron, even though he was happy that she liked the present, couldn't stop feeling embarrassed. 

"Headache gone?" Ginny asked slyly. Hermione just grinned and her faced glowed, enhancing her already beautiful face. 

**_"I guess it's your turn now," _**Harry told his boyfriend in their private mode. 

**_"What do you mean it's my turn?" _**Draco asked in a panicky voice, thrusting the simply wrapped black box to the ebony-haired Gryffindor. 

**_"No way … you're the one who placed the most effort on the statue."_ **Harry handed it back to Draco. Hermione noticed the silent squabbling between the two and by the time the Slytherin realized he was being watched, it was already too late. Hermione saw him holding onto the box. 

The girl placed Ron's present back into its wrapping before standing up and taking the black box away from Draco. It was the Slytherin's turn to blush. There were more whisperings this time as Hermione took her time opening the wrappings. She finally unearthed the precious metallic model of a quill holder and stared at in shock when she turned it and saw the carving of a fairy. 

"Harry is this what _they_ looked like?" she asked in a whisper. "Thank you." One small finger traced the curly hair framing its angelic face. Carefully juggling the handmade gift, Hermione leaned down to kiss Draco's cheek before kissing Harry's. There were horrified gasps coming from some of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

Hermione carefully placed the fairy sculpture atop of the table before sinking to her knees and crying on Draco's lap.

**_"What did I do?!" _**Draco asked desperately, his eyes looking at Harry wildly. 

**_"I don't know!" _**Harry replied and proceeded to try and calm his friend.

However, it was the Slytherin who managed to stop Hermione from shedding more tears. "Get a hold of yourself! You're embarrassing me!" Draco muttered under his breath. 

"I'm sorry," Hermione replied, sniffing as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "It's just that I'm overwhelmed…"

"Hermione, you gave me quite a heart attack breaking down like that," Harry mock chided her. 

"It's hard to believe that you two are finally friends…"

"I believe it's time for you to go to bed and stop piling up embarrassments on me," Draco muttered. 

"Oh… I will, I will." Hermione gave a crooked smile. She went around to the other boys who shared the dormitory with Ron. Neville choked on his juice at Hermione's odd request while the others smirked, glancing enviously in Ron's direction. 

"Well! The food in here isn't exactly for show, you know!" Ginny said aloud in an impatient tone. "Blaise! Why are you sitting there looking dejected?" The boy started at the sound of his name. "Come on now!" Ginny promptly began to slice the cake.

**********

****

Two hours later…

Snape quickly crossed over to where Harry and the rest were still talking. He had seen Ron and Hermione walk out of the Hall an hour earlier with the numerous presents the birthday girl had received. He found it unbelievable that even after the loud teasing and bawdy suggestions of what the couple was going to do when they disappeared from the Hall, McGonagall hadn't said a word. 

"I believe it's time all of you went to your dormitories," Snape said in a remarkably cold voice. The crowd of students sighed and began to get out of their seats. Lupin appeared beside the Potions Master, obviously there to make sure the students didn't take any side trips.

"Are you sure _they'll _be finished?" Neville asked Seamus nervously. 

"I should hope so," the latter replied with a smirk. 

_Merlin! They are **not** talking about Granger and her Weasley boyfriend._ Oddly, Snape shuddered at the thought, wondering what Mrs. Weasley would say if she found out about Ron's behavior. 

"Don't worry about it," Lupin said softly, watching Harry and Draco walk together side by side. "Hermione knows what she's doing or she wouldn't have planned it."

"Planned?" Snape asked in a choked voice and Lupin laughed, smacking the Potions Master's shoulder fondly. What the Defence professor really wanted to do was to slap the pale white bottom hidden beneath layers of black robes. Lupin pushed Snape off to see Blaise to his room safely while the golden-eyed professor followed the crowd of Gryffindors. 

**********

Harry and Draco parted from the rest to go to their room. They took the longer route since the Slytherin said he wanted to stroll for a bit. Automatically, they reached for the other's hand. It may have been a mistake to let instinct take control; as they turned a corner, they bumped into the school's notorious poltergeist. 

"Potty and Malfoy holding hands?" Peeves shrieked. The poltergeist proceeded to threaten that he would reveal that they were a couple.

**_"Can't we do something about him?" _**Draco asked, watching the madly dancing poltergeist with murder in his eyes. Fortunately for them, the Bloody Baron intercepted, dragging Peeves out of their way. 

"Say anything," the ghost growled, "and you're doomed." 

Harry let out a sigh of relief and both of them hastily retreated to the Room of Requirement. For some reason, Draco felt excited. _Maybe the talk of Ron and Hermione making out has gotten into my system, _the Slytherin told himself.

"Are you planning to study tonight?" Harry asked in a neutral voice as he slowly stripped. 

"No — After all the excitement I've endured today, I think I'm going to relax." Draco answered in the same manner. 

"Well." Harry, clad only in his dark emerald underwear came up to him, pressing his body against the Slytherin's.

_Looks like the thought of sex crossed his mind too… _His thoughts vanished as he proceeded to kiss Harry's lips.

**********

****

In the Slytherin's dormitory. 

Leren, Theodore and Pansy had been ready for hours waiting to trap Blaise but Snape's unusual sense of duty had made the three of them hide. Luckily for them, they knew just where Blaise's new room was. They waited for half an hour before moving away from the safety of their hideout. Pansy readied herself to aim a Blasting Curse on the door. The three were unaware that two of the magically created fairies that had been attached to them had gone off to rouse the next room's occupants: a very Gryffindor-like bunch of Slytherins. 

After Blaise's falling out with the rest of his seventh-year mates (with the exception of Draco), the sixth-years had more or less accepted him into their crowd. One of them felt the sudden need to go out and when he found Pansy aiming her wand at Blaise's door, the boy whistled for his mates. Two more doors opened, including the target's.

"Oh, hello," the Slytherin greeted impassively. "You guys want something?" 

Pansy and the two other boys froze, terrified by the fact that they had been caught in action. That was not in their plan. Before they could react, they were hit with three Full-Body Bind spells. 

Blaise looked at the rigid forms of his housemates. "What made you come out at this time of night?" he asked the others. 

"Don't know," one boy shrugged. "I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom and I saw the three of them poised outside your door."

"Strange," the seventh-year Slytherin muttered darkly and waved the rest away, leaving Pansy, Leren and Theodore. He intended to wake them later, provided he remembered to. 

Three fairies stared at each other, silently communicating before they sat on Leren's chest.

**********

****

In the Potions Master's personal chambers…

"Sev-e-rus," Lupin pronounced each syllable in frustration.

"Hush," Snape looked up at his lover with a scowl before tucking back the strands of black hair covering his eyes. 

"Sev, please," Lupin whimpered, body endlessly writhing against Snape's surprisingly firm grasp. 

"Do you want to come or not?" Snape asked almost angrily. 

A strangled groan escaped from the brown-haired wizard. 

"Most of our lovemaking has been hasty and too quick for my liking. I've yet to explore _every _inch of you," Snape said gently this time. "Can't you entertain me just this once?" the Potions Master murmured as he licked the throat of the reclining man. 

"Okay," Lupin said huskily. Snape smiled and continued mapping Lupin's body with fingers, eyes and tongue.

**********

Firesword: A short and sweet chapter or that's what I think. Do you think it's good? Chapter 17 is completed & beta'd. It took quite a bit of time since I had to do some research about gems and stones. Four more chaps to go and Transcendence will be completed! I can't wait to get to the ending! :D Tidbits: Draco was in Divination and managed to look into the future. That's where the gemstones come in…


	17. Azurite

****

~ Chapter 17: Azurite ~

Days passed; the month of September was nearly over. However, the days weren't spent idly: third years and above were given an extra subject to study. The new class, Dueling, was co-taught by Sev, Dumbledore and Remus. The students were instructed in more than the simple recitation of spells. They also had to learn about the use of tactics and were put through their paces with physical exercise as well. 

Draco had observed Leren during those lessons and found that it was pitiable the captain wasn't on Harry's side. His housemate truly had a remarkable talent for strategy. Despite the extra coursework, Harry and Draco were still having extra dueling lessons with Sev and the Headmaster. Due to the constant practice, the ebony-haired Gryffindor was getting used to taking his first offensive steps rather than defensive ones. His frosty-haired Slytherin lover on the other hand was being weaned from his impulses to use what Dumbledore termed as Fire Magic. 

"You don't want to be predictable, Draco," Dumbledore had told him and that was all it had taken to convince the Slytherin to be more versatile in his actions. 

After Hermione's birthday, Draco found that he was following his intuition more often than before. For some reason, he often questioned his boyfriend during their leisure time about how Voldemort should be vanquished, sometimes including Harry's closest friends in the discussions. After some days of research and hours of consultation with Dumbledore and McGonagall, Harry thought it was time for him and his friends to see the Headmaster. 

**********

****

Sunday, 28th September. In Dumbledore's office.

"I think we might want to use gemstones," Harry said after a minute of silence. Sev was a little surprised at his godson's decision.

"Well, you don't truly expect him to use the Killing Curse on Voldemort, right?" Remus murmured into Sev's ear. "Especially when you yourself are very much reluctant to use it?"

Sev smiled faintly and did not respond. 

"So gems, is it?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow. "What kind of gems do you have in mind and how are we going to get them?" 

"I'm not that sure … yet," Harry admitted after a quick glance at Draco. 

"He wants something that is able to act as an energy reservoir and also something that can be used to drain negative waves," the Slytherin answered, scratching his chin as he looked at all of them in the office. 

"That sounds like you need two stones," Hermione said. "Or is there one gem that has all the properties you need? If so, it must be able to change the negative energies into something useful."

Dumbledore leaned back and thought hard. After a moment, he magically summoned Professor Trelawney without warning the rest. McGonagall opened the door and looked at the old wizard inquisitively. 

The Divination professor was clothed in light blue and wearing several strands of iridescent black beads around her neck. The eyes behind a pair of huge glasses blinked rapidly. Trelawney sat down and looked at Dumbledore curiously.

"You summoned me, Headmaster?" she asked softly. 

"Yes I did, Sybill," Dumbledore replied with a serious expression. "Harry needs some help acquiring some gemstones for spellcasting."

Professor Trelawney's eyes went wide but she quickly gained control of her expression. "What kind of stones do you need?" she asked Harry directly. 

Harry exchanged another look with Draco. "Something to act as an energy receptor and storage … and something that allows for the transmutation of energies."

There was another pause. Trelawney seemed to be lost in thought when she suddenly commanded Harry to follow her. The Gryffindor looked at Dumbledore inquiringly and the old wizard nodded his head, indicating that the boy should follow the witch. Harry had no other choice but to follow. Draco tagged along as usual but Ron and Hermione said that they would be in the library, should Harry need them. 

The Divination teacher walked swiftly but the two students had no problem catching up to her. By the time they reached the North Tower, the boys found that they weren't huffing as much as they used to when they were in their third year, thanks to Dueling. The trapdoor opened by itself and the boys climbed up the ladder after the Divination professor. The classroom smelled faintly of rose but the room was still dark. Trelawney, after placing her shawl on an armchair, went for a glossy black box that was hidden by multiple crystal scrying globes. 

Draco immediately sat on a plump cerulean pouffe and waited idly. Trelawney carried the box over and sat down on a stool near the Slytherin. "Don't just stand there ... sit," the witch told Harry.

**_"That's the first time she's spoken normally," _**the Gryffindor mused and Draco smirked. The happy expression blended quickly into impassivity when the professor gazed at the dark-haired boy with a suspicious look. 

Trelawney took her eyes off him for a moment to open the chest. She removed several layers of black and dark purple silk, revealing an assortment of several good-sized gems. They were not exactly big but they weren't small either. Harry felt a strange pull from a deep purple hexahedral jewel but decided to wait for the professor to give him advice.

"Well," the witch began softly, "these are the stones that I have in possession so you might want to take these instead of asking the Headmaster to find one." 

_This is odd,_ Harry thought to himself. _It's the first time I ever heard her speak without babbling anything about the future. _He shook his head a little and willed himself to focus on the present. 

"This," Trelawney held up an opalescent stone, "is opal. It is considered as the most powerful and most efficient in absorbing negative energy. Is that what you were looking for?"

"Yes," Harry answered. "But —"

"But the stone doesn't feel right to you?" Trelawney asked with a faint smile. She placed the stone back in its place. Then her fingers skittered over an oval dark green stone with faint jade-green swirls. She picked it up carefully and showed it to the Gryffindor. "This … my dear, is malachite. It might not be the right stone for you but perhaps, as you grow older you might find a use for it." 

This time, her eyes were unfocused and Harry forgave her for straying off the subject. He just wanted to know the properties of the jewels so that he could have more time to think about which were the best for him to use.

**_"Be patient lover," _**Draco admonished gently, sensing Harry's impatience.

"Malachite acts as an amplifier of energy. It's not really made for offensive uses, considering that it _is _a protective stone. Repels dark magic and the like," the witch explained. Next, she held the crystal that Harry secretly coveted. "This gem that I'm holding right now is quite useful for it is able to 'change' the nature of energy it receives. It is an amethyst."

"Can I hold it?" Harry asked dreamily.

"Yes, you can but not before you strengthen your will, Mister Potter. Professor Dumbledore has warned me before about your receptivity to Magick," Trelawney said somberly. "If you aren't careful with the stone, your sense of clairvoyance might be tripled. Do not clasp it tightly in your hand. The color might start to change if you do; the stone is sensitive to heat." 

Harry took a deep breath and waited for several moments. Only when he was truly calm and not about to go into a trance-like state did the seer give the semi-precious gem to the boy. The Gryffindor sat up straight and closed his eyes. He concentrated on how the stone felt on his open palm. 

**_"Drake, I need you to feel angry at me," _**Harry said suddenly and Draco started at the unusual request.

**_"What on earth for?" _**the Slytherin asked in puzzlement.

**_"Trust me."_**

Draco stared oddly at his lover and tried to do as was requested. However, he was failing miserably. 

**_"Do you know that I find Blaise quite attractive?" _**Harry's thought penetrated his mind and the Slytherin immediately bristled. **_"He's got quite a cute dimple on his left cheek when he smiles." _**Draco's temper grew worse, unaware that he was playing directly into the Gryffindor's hands. 

Professor Trelawney simply watched Harry sitting quietly on the stool and 'feeling' the amethyst. When the air vibrated with vibes of jealousy, her eyes widened, wondering why Draco was emitting them in the first place. She was just about to order the Slytherin to leave when all of sudden the negative waves disappeared. A few seconds later, the Divination professor felt a little light-headed and relieved. 

"What did you do?" she asked Harry. 

The Gryffindor opened his eyes and smiled. "I wasn't sure if I could do it but I pulled the mass of energy around Draco into the amethyst and created neutral waves," the emerald-eyed boy replied.

**_"You tricked me!" _**Draco accused, silver eyes glittering even in the dark room. 

**_"I had to … there isn't anything you would be angry about but I needed to work on a theory," _**Harry answered in a regretful tone. **_"I was just kidding about Blaise," _**he said. Then he gave Draco a lopsided smile. **_"You should know that I was pulling your leg. Blaise hasn't got any dimples whatsoever."_** The Slytherin looked stricken and started to turn pink in embarrassment.

While the two were having their silent discussion, Trelawney had returned the box to its original place behind the crystal balls. She returned with a silver chest. When Harry finally stop talking to his boyfriend, the seer was holding a palm-sized clear crystal in her hand. Whatever the Gryffindor wanted to say to Trelawney was forgotten as the boy's eyes were transfixed by the beautiful quartz. 

"It seems that I've finally managed to capture your interest, my dear," Trelawney spoke with an amused tone. "This is a Rock Crystal. It stores and amplifies magical energy quite well."

"I can see that," Harry said in a quiet voice. "Professor, may I —" 

The seer interrupted him before he could complete his sentence. She waved her hand negligently. "You need them more than I do." She carefully wrapped the amethyst piece she had taken from Harry and the quartz separately with black silk and placed them inside the silver chest before handing it to the Gryffindor.

**********

****

Later that night.

In the Room of Requirement, everything was peaceful and silent. Most of their friends would have thought that they were asleep or doing _something_ but Harry and Draco weren't doing anything more than sharing their thoughts, warmth and love. The pale-haired Slytherin prefect was sitting in between the Gryffindor's legs, being held lovingly by the dark-haired boy.

"Your mother is not what I would call pretty but she had nice eyes," Draco said softly. The Slytherin was holding on to a portrait lined with Gryffindor colors.

"And what's with my hair? Hereditary genes?" Harry joked as both of them studied James Potter in his graduation robes. Draco chuckled, causing some of his fine strands of hair to tickle the Gryffindor's nose.

"But why wasn't Wormtail in there?" the Slytherin asked. "He was one of the Marauders, wasn't he?" 

"Only the past knows," Harry replied philosophically and earned himself a kiss. The sudden act of affection caused the Gryffindor to grin. The two of them had been looking through Sirius's photo album again and Harry had finally decided to open Dumbledore's gift. It was a painted portrait of James, Lily, Sirius and Remus but without magical enchantments. 

"I'm glad we still have Moony," Harry whispered. Draco turned his head slightly so that he could see the Gryffindor's face and wasn't surprised to see the green eyes watering. 

**__**

"Don't start," Draco said and set the portrait aside before shifting his position. Now he was sitting across from his boyfriend, right palm resting warmly on Harry's left cheek. **_"You're supposed to feel happy when you look at it. What will your first godfather think with you getting all tearful?"_**

"Sorry," Harry answered and kissed Draco's palm. **_"Put the portrait away and let's go to bed." _**His earlier mood returned and the Slytherin smiled happily.

The two of them were content enough to just sleep for the night and soon the room darkened, a candle left burning at the far end of the room. Harry was drifting away to sleep when Draco sent him a thought.

**__**

"What are you going to do with the crystals?" Draco asked.

**__**

"No idea," Harry's answer was slightly blurred with sleepiness. **_"But I probably will fuse them together with the amethyst in the center." _**

"Why is that?" Draco inquired curiously.

**__**

"I plan for the amethyst to drain Voldemort and the quartz to absorb the energy. Then it will be time for cleansing," the Gryffindor answered.

**__**

"How are you going to fuse the stones together?" Draco pulled his boyfriend closer. 

**__**

"I'll think about that when I'm not too sleepy." Harry yawned and the Slytherin decided that the answer to that could be debated during their lunch break the next day. 

**********

****

In the Slytherin common room. 

Leren's face was almost purple with exertion. Greg and Vincent were holding onto poor Julian while the Quidditch captain, Theodore and Pansy tried to hex the boy. 

"Damn!" Theodore cursed loudly. "I know I muttered the incantation correctly but the spell just won't work!"

"Bloody Potter!" Leren growled and began to swear scurrilously.

"Let me go!!!" Julian, who had been sorted into Slytherin, yelled and thrashed about in the massive grips of Crabbe and Goyle.

"What has the Golden Boy got to do with this?" Theodore hissed. 

"I noticed that our spells _always_ backfire when they're being used illegally," Pansy suddenly said.

"You're right. I couldn't even pretend to hit someone accidentally with a Stunner," Leren spoke in a thoughtful voice.

"Then it can't be Potter," Pansy muttered and sat down on a couch. "He can't be _that_ powerful to stop us from casting spells."

"It's probably Dumbledore," Leren spat, furiously keeping his wand in his pocket. 

"What do we have here?" a taunting voice echoed in the dark common room. Theodore and Leren whirled to find a group of sixth years lined up by the staircase looking at them. "Let Julian go or the rest of you won't be popular among the girls," said a boy Leren only knew as Van. 

"This shouldn't be happening," this time, it came from a girl with dark blue eyes. Her name was Ellie and she had a very serious look on her face. "We shouldn't be attacking or _threatening_ our own housemates. We're too much near _the_ critical time."

"And why do _you_ worry so much about it?" Leren sneered. 

Van came forward unarmed. "Just because you're a Death Eater and supposedly doing what our Founder thought was right, does not mean you rule the rest of us, Montague." Leren paled at the younger boy's bluntness. "Oh yes, _Captain_. We _all_ know that _you_ are Death Eaters. We've heard the rumors about You-Know-Who coming here to terrorize the students. Be warned however, even if he comes, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does not rule here. Not Hogwarts. It's Dumbledore's and probably Potter's too. And as long as I'm a student, I'll be loyal to Hogwarts and nothing else."

"Impudence!" Pansy shrieked. "You do not know what our Master is capable of! You will die first before you know it!"

"Oh we know what _he_ is capable of, all right. One of our schoolmates died by his command, wasn't that right? Diggory. Best Seeker there was other than Potter." One of the Slytherin Chasers stepped forward. "It will not be surprising if some of us die alongside Potter if he doesn't kill the Dark Lord first. But there's one thing I will not tolerate."

The rest of the sixth-years gathered in the room closed in on them. "We let your _comrades_ have their way last autumn. I'm willing to bet my life that their next reception will be very different."

__

"Crucio!" Leren's temper finally snapped and he let the curse go. However, the spell did not hit the nearest sixth-year. Instead, it was simply absorbed by a wall of rippling energy. Some of them were quite surprised and turned white.

"Well … whatever Dumbledore did was really effective," Van responded shakily. The young Death Eaters stared at the slowly fading wall in shock. "Considering that the rest of us are pureblooded Slytherins, do you know what we're going to do with you?"

"You'll end up just like that night when you chose to trap Zabini." A boy with dark brown hair and streaks of gold drew his wand out. 

"Vince! Use a spell!" Leren commanded. 

"Why?"

"We're the only ones who can't do magic outside classes! Just do it!"

__

"Expelliarmus!"

One of the fairies quickly wrapped itself around the tip of the Beater's wand and the spell backfired. Julian took the opportunity to aim a kick at Greg's knee. Then he ran and hid behind the sixth-years. Vincent was knocked off his feet and his head slammed against the dungeon wall. 

"Theory failed," Ellie answered and smiled thinly.

__

"Stupefy!!!"Several voices cried out at once. With a sense of déjà vu, the group of young Death Eaters fell limply to the floor.

"Too bad we can't get rid of them completely," Van muttered, his face dark with suppressed anger. "They're not aware that killing a pureblood who is also a Slytherin would stir our bloodlust."

"You have a queer attitude for a Slytherin, Van." Ellie smiled. 

"And so do the rest of you," he mumbled, glaring at the girl as he made his way to the staircase. 

**********

****

The next day.

Potions had just ended and Sev was shouting more than usual. The focus of his ire was not Harry, but Pansy and Leren. Their work on producing the Polyjuice Potion was sloppily done and Sev wondered aloud why he had accepted them for his NEWT level class. 

"Pathetic!" 

"Look who's talking," Leren answered heatedly, clearly showing disobedience to his Head. Instead of biting back, Sev smiled. 

"We shall see, Mister Montague," the Potions Master said silkily. "Detention for you with Professor McGonagall. I am far too busy today to watch you. Class dismissed." 

Leren, Pansy and Theodore walked away quickly and got out before the rest of them. Harry, Hermione and Draco lingered in the dungeon. 

"You look stressed, sir," Hermione commented, carefully addressing the Potions Master formally. 

"What happened last night?" Draco asked.

"It felt like someone tried a curse again," Harry inserted. 

"There's dissension in my House, Harry," Sev answered wearily. "And it is sickening because most of them are going to the Headmaster now."

"Isn't that good?" Draco inquired. 

"I know what you're thinking," Harry responded and gave his godfather a smile. "Don't worry. They're not flocking to Professor Dumbledore because they feel that they're on the winning side. It's pride actually."

"Do they have the impression that Voldemort will attack the school again?" Hermione asked Harry.

"If you were in their shoes, wouldn't you think so?" Harry responded as he sat on a desk. They could afford to linger in the classroom since it would be lunch break soon. "That's how I feel anyway."

"Same here," the girl admitted. 

"Someone in the Order has learned that the Dark Lord and his minions are running short of supplies due to our sudden alliance with the Goblin race. Since the watch has been stepped up, I believe that they won't remain hidden for much longer," Sev agreed.

"You have Divination next, right?" Harry asked Draco and the Slytherin nodded in response. "Maybe you could get some sort of sign about Voldemort's appearance," he said lightly. Draco's eyes rolled upwards in exasperation. 

"Maybe I should also find out how you are going to kill Voldemort with those crystals of yours," his boyfriend muttered and the Gryffindor grinned. 

"That reminds me. What crystals did you get from Trelawney?" Hermione asked inquisitively. 

"Amethyst and Rock Crystal," Draco supplied. 

"I really wonder what's going on inside that brain of yours," the girl said. Harry laughed and the other three seemed mesmerized by the sound of his laughter.   
  
"Will Professor Dumbledore be free after lunch?" Harry asked his godfather. 

"Why?"

"I want to ask him if he knows anything about fusing two stones together," the boy answered. 

"Fuse? But can amethyst handle that sort of stress?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"I don't really know but since you pointed it out, I think I should put some strong spells on the amethyst before experimenting." 

"Fusing might not be a good idea since it may affect the effectiveness of the amethyst," Sev informed Harry. "How big is the Rock Crystal?"

"About the size of my palm." The Gryffindor stared curiously at his godfather.

"That's big for a gem," Sev commented. "Why don't you let me see it?" He frowned a little. "Come to my office after lunch. I may be able to cut the stone for you and then you can just insert the amethyst. Then you'd just need to add a Stabilizing Charm to them both."

Harry looked surprised. _What else has he been hiding? A secret gem-cutter?_ "Don't you have class later?"

"I want to look at it first," Sev answered with a scowl, biting back the word 'fool'. 

"All right Sev," Harry replied as he jumped down from the desk. "Don't get grouchy."

"I think we all ought to go up to the Hall. I'm hungry," Draco complained and Harry tousled his hair affectionately. While Sev was left to seal the classroom, the three students went up to the Hall with their bags. Ron, Seamus, Neville and Dean were already there and had saved seats for the three of them. 

"You missed Ginny," Ron piped up as soon as they came near. 

"Where did she go and why aren't you with her?" Hermione looked at Dean questioningly.

The latter shrugged. "It's confidential or that's what she says. She went off with Luna and Susan to who knows where. I have no idea." 

"What do you have after this?" Harry asked Ron as he sat and dropped his bag to his feet. 

"Divination," Ron answered before he started stuffing himself with pasta. "I'm in the same class as the git." 

"You bloody Weasley …"

"Ishnotroo —?" 

"Ron …" Hermione glared at her boyfriend. His ears had turned red and he dutifully swallowed his food. On the other side of the table, Dean and Seamus sniggered. 

"Okay, okay. It's just an affectionate term for Draco," Ron said meekly. 

"Ron!" Hermione's voice was gently chiding but she was smiling. 

Draco looked offended and he helped himself to some roasted chicken. He jumped slightly when something dark leapt on him and remained in his lap. "Oh, hello." The Slytherin looked down at Black curiously. "Your master is on the other side of the Hall you know." 

"Meow?" Black gazed at Draco before licking his paws. 

"Now I'll have cat fur all over my robes," the Slytherin mumbled. 

"I've got nothing for another hour or so," Hermione said to Harry as she cut a flesh of steamed fish for herself. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"What? No studying?" Ron joked. Hermione dropped her knife and pinched her boyfriend. The Weasley winced and rubbed at the sore spot.

"At least _I_ study for an hour before I go to bed," she answered, indulging herself with a superior look.

"You know what? I think you should visit our dormitory … every night. My grades did improve when you and Ginny camped in with us," Dean commented. 

Hermione gave her boyfriend the smile that resulted in her being called 'Fairy' secretly by Draco. Lunch continued without any mishaps except for those sitting at the Slytherin table. A loud bang and smoke caused an entire section of food to be destroyed and the whole lot of third-year Slytherins turned on Leren and his group. Pansy had tried to direct a Blasting Curse in Ellie's direction but the fairies did not simply absorb the spell this time. Instead, they deflected it back to the girl. The incident resulted in Leren and Pansy having to serve another week of detention, this time with Professor Sprout. 

"That's really uncanny," Hermione observed. 

"What is?" Harry murmured as he slowly drank his pumpkin juice. 

"The way that only the table and foodstuff were damaged."

"We wouldn't be doing Dumbledore any favors if any students got hurt, right?" Harry replied softly. 

Neville checked his watch. "Hey, it's nearly one. I think we had better get going," the Gryffindor said, looking at Draco and Ron.

**_"Well, take care love. I'll see you later in Defence." _**Harry sent to his boyfriend and winked. 

"Oh my god … I can't _believe_ my eyes ... you're flirting with him," Ron muttered, making his friend laugh.

**********

****

Inside Professor Trelawney's classroom.

"Good afternoon my dears," the witch greeted her students. "You ought to watch your behavior Miss Parkinson. Dumbledore's leniency will soon run out now that it is nearing October," she said to the Slytherin girl suddenly. 

Draco raised his eyebrow as he took a seat on a black armchair while Ron sat on a dark blue pouffe near Neville. 

"I wonder what we'll do this time," Ron spoke to Neville in a whisper. "Last time was tarot reading and if we have to do an interpretation, I think I might scream."

"Rest assured we will not be doing something quite that complex. You will grow into it as the year goes by. This afternoon we will be doing something different; something more or less like scrying into the crystal ball," Trelawney told them, staring at Ron in particular. "Miss Brown, do not wear those dark blue high heeled shoes your mother gave you. You'll trip on one of the staircases during Christmas." 

"So what are we doing?" Dean asked. 

"You will try to see the future by meditating while holding a stone of your choosing. Unfortunately, I do not have a sufficient number of stones for each of you to use individually, so you'll have to take turns," she replied, leaning back in her armchair and gazing serenely at all of them.

"Basically, we have to go into a trance," Draco mused.

"Induced by the stone of course. And it is a trance, not _sleep_." Trelawney's eyes focused on Ron. The Weasley stared sheepishly back at her. "You'll be doing a couple a favor by finding the twins," she spoke to Blaise. 

"What?" the Slytherin was taken aback but Trelawney had already turned away, ready to start the class.

"Pair up now. You will take turns. If you do it right, you will see something that could happen in the future. Do not tell anyone else what you see. Just describe what you feel on a ten-inch roll of parchment. Also, take note of the stone you pick and predict what the stone's capabilities are." 

Blaise paired up with Draco while Ron's partner was Neville. Ron and Blaise went first. Things proceeded without too much confusion or noise. The two of them chose moonstone and tiger's eye respectively and immediately set to work. The rest waiting their turn sat listlessly on their seats, watching their struggling partners.

After seeing Ron starting to sweat and fidget, Trelawney stalked towards him and snapped her fingers. The boy's eyes opened quickly and he listened to her instructions on how it was done. When she left him, Ron was sitting on the floor, looking down on the perfectly round moonstone. His breathing turned easy and Draco could see that his eyes were starting to glaze over.

_Finally! I thought he was going to take forever getting into a trance,_ the Slytherin thought. Fifteen minutes went by and Trelawney began passing a small bowl of coffee beans around. The silver-eyed boy sighed softly at the activity and gladly took the bowl. He passed it under Blaise's nose a couple of times and his friend suddenly awoke from his trance, coughing lightly.

"Get that away from me," Blaise wheezed and Draco passed the beans to Neville. 

"Now my dears, please come forward and lightly dip your stones into this basin of water. That ought to remove any 'residues' and shouldn't affect the next person's visions. Dry it please," the Divination professor requested. Draco gathered among the rest of his classmates to choose a stone and he found that he was reaching for a funny-looking spherical gem that reminded him of a planet. It was dark blue, swirled together with a host of other colors.

_It is beautiful. _He stared into the depths of the gem and found himself drifting while he was standing. Something told him to sit before he tried anything else and he followed the voice. He went into a secluded spot and sat underneath a closed window. He made himself comfortable and was about to pretend that it was one of his sessions with Harry when he caught Blaise looking oddly at him.

"What?" the pale Slytherin asked.

"Uh … nothing. It's nothing," Blaise answered quickly but Draco was able to see that the boy was uneasy.

"Then stop looking at me as if I've grown another head," Draco replied grumpily. _Well, let's see if I can See anything._ The Slytherin took a deep breath and focused on the stone. _I absolutely have no clue of what kind of stone this is. I'd better remind myself to ask Trelawney later._ His fingers continuously brushed over the smooth surface. _The stone … it's strangely soothing._ He stopped thinking as he drifted further and further _into_ the stone. 

He let himself seep through the darkness of the gem and knew he was aiming for its heart. The classroom ceased to exist. His eyes were open but curiously, all he saw was a strange iridescent blue wall. Suddenly, he could go no further and he knew that he was already in the center of the stone. He fixed himself on the spot and did not move. 

A single deep breath was all it took for him to become 'one' with the gem and he saw himself flying through an opalescent hole. His eyes fell shut. He was being pulled by something so quickly that when he finally stopped, he was truly disoriented.

**********

_Draco observed the scene that was slowly unfolding. It took him a moment to realize that he was standing near the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. He wanted to study his surroundings but felt that the people before him were too important to focus his attention elsewhere. His future self was sitting closely beside Harry, holding hands under the table. The whispering of some of the Hufflepuffs told Draco that some students knew exactly why they were so close. _

He walked until he was finally standing behind Harry and looked down at himself. He backed off slightly as Harry stood, holding a small white candle in one hand. His future self followed suit and all three went to the window. 

"What are you thinking about?" Draco's future self asked softly.

"My parents … Sirius … Moody. Never really paid attention to what tonight meant but somehow, I think I've finally understood," Harry answered, smiling lovingly at future/Draco. "Would you help me light the candle, Drake?"

"Anything for you, lover." 

Future/Draco lit the candle with his secret talent and the two stood together watching the lake. Draco was hypnotized by the play of the candle flame on the window. Soon his eyes traveled upwards and he tried to see beyong the glass window. It was dark. There was no moon that night. Suddenly, the peaceful moment was interrupted by a worried Ginny. 

"Have the two of you seen Remus?" 

"No," both boys replied. 

"Is something wrong?" Harry questioned her. 

"I don't know. I bumped into Sev just now. He looked quite angry and demanded to know if I had seen Moony."

Harry and future/Draco stared at each other for a moment. "A lover's quarrel?" Future/Draco hazarded but the jet-haired Gryffindor shook his head in disagreement.

"If Sev has something to be angry about, he wouldn't show it to anyone … no. Not even to me."

"Why don't we ask the rest?" Future/Draco suggested. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Remus since sunset. And that was like what? Five hours ago?"

The scene changed abruptly. Draco had a sensation that reminded him of flying. He could smell the scent of trees. Looking around, he found that he was deep in the heart of a forest, surrounded by gigantic, ancient trees. He took several steps forward and nearly stumbled before he managed to regain his balance. When he was sure that he wouldn't trip or fall, he peered closer at the object that caused the near-accident. The Slytherin gulped. The shiny black boots were familiar to him. His eyes followed the line of the wearer and saw the light blonde locks. 

Steeling himself, he ventured closer; his eyes were watering heavily. A bolt of fear came down on him. He saw his own eyes, dead and lifeless, empty of the warmth and love that was always given readily to his Gryffindor lover. The side of his face was bleeding. It seemed that something had struck him hard and seared his head and temple.

There was the loud rustling of clothing. Draco turned on his heels swiftly and saw Harry's crumpled form. Then Draco saw his father and the rest of the Dark Lord's followers. 

"I have waited for so long, Potter. The time has finally arrived for me to seal your fate as well as Dumbledore's," a smooth voice pierced the forbidding silence. Draco watched as Harry got quickly to his feet. He saw the Gryffindor wince and one hand immediately went up to clutch at one side of his waist. Harry was totally surrounded but still he moved continuously in a circle. Draco knew how uneasy Harry felt giving his back to anyone. Draco prayed that the vision would change but no help came for Harry, his lover. Draco decided that he didn't want to see anything more but the stone would not release him. There were several shouts and when Draco turned to look, Harry was down on the ground again, Voldemort's wand only inches from the boy's heart.

Draco's throat constricted with horror and pain. He gasped, completely overwhelmed by sadness when he saw the look on Harry's face: a look of failure and hopelessness. 

**********

Trelawney watched the crying Slytherin in terror. "Zabini!" she yelled at Blaise and the boy snapped to attention. "Get the stone out of his grasp!" she commanded harshly. The witch thrust the bowl of coffee beans near Draco's face. 

"Ouch!" Blaise yelped, snatching his hand quickly. "The stone burned me!"

"Drake?!"

The trapdoor suddenly burst open and Harry appeared, looking around the classroom wildly. Blaise quickly got out of the way as the Gryffindor barged towards Draco unceremoniously. 

"Do not disturb him or you'll unbalance his mind!" Trelawney shrieked.

"I know what I'm doing," Harry answered grimly. Seconds later, an anxious Hermione and Remus came through. "Back off," the emerald-eyed boy warned Hermione. The girl quickly scuttled off to one side, watching her friends with wide eyes. Harry swore pungently when he accidentally touched the extremely hot stone. 

"What are you doing?!" Trelawney demanded but Harry ignored her.

There was a slight change in the air and finally, Draco slumped forward into the Gryffindor's arms. The Slytherin had fallen unconscious. "We need to get him to the hospital wing," Harry said solemnly to Remus. 

The Defence professor nodded. The older wizard decided it wasn't worthwhile to conjure a stretcher in the classroom and instructed several of the boys to carry the Slytherin down the ladder. Draco was still holding on to the gem when he was placed on a stretcher and they arrived at the hospital wing in record time. 

Madam Pomfrey immediately went about examining Draco while Harry did his part in carefully removing the stone from the Slytherin's grip. He placed it on top of the small table beside the hospital bed. 

"Peculiar," the nurse finally said. "He is all right. He's asleep right now," she informed Harry and those that had come with them. Madam Pomfrey told them that they should leave but Harry requested that he be allowed to stay in the wing except when he had classes. The nurse looked skeptically at him but gave piercing stares to the others.

**********

****

Supper time.

Harry's mood had deteriorated steadily after Draco's collapse. He wasn't able to concentrate during Defence but luckily for him, Remus had decided that they all should try to work on their Patronus Charms instead of doing theory. His friends were quiet around him and he was grateful, smiling occasionally during dinner. Hedwig, for some reason, accompanied him as he ate and she even attempted to make her Master smile by prancing on the table.

It worked surprisingly well when Harry finally realized what his owl was trying to do. Hedwig was waddling along the table, occasionally rotating her head to watch her master. Dean's observation just served as the catalyst for a hearty laugh.

"Hey, Harry," Dean said after swallowing down a spoonful of boiled potatoes. "Do you think that Hedwig's trying to get your attention?" 

Harry looked at his friend askance. He looked at his owl but didn't find that she was doing anything out of the ordinary. "What do you mean?"

"Look, she's walking right?" Dean asked as he watched the snowy white owl move. "She'll look at you next." After ten seconds of clumsy crossing, Hedwig did.

"And your point is?" Harry inquired.

Dean put his fork and knife beside his plate and looked at the raven-haired boy seriously. "Just imagine Hedwig's a girl. Right now," Dean pointed his chin at Harry's owl, "her hips are swaying as she walks," the boy waited for the right moment, "and now she's giving you a look that seems strangely inviting."

Harry stopped eating and gazed unwaveringly at his friend. Then he studied his owl. What came to his mind wasn't a seductive Cho but a certain, taunting, icy Slytherin. Before he knew it, he was already laughing, perhaps a little hysterically. Hermione giggled and more chuckles followed. When Hedwig sidled up to Harry, Ginny fell off her seat, laughing hoarsely.

"Stop! I can't take it!" Harry gasped. The laughing continued until Sev decided that they had de-stressed themselves enough; the Potions Master cast a spell that was exactly the opposite of the Cheering Charm.

Harry resumed his dinner and risked a glance at his godfather. The wizard was still scowling at the Gryffindors although Remus was trying hard to alleviate Sev's irritation. Harry chuckled lightly under his breath. 

"Thanks Hedwig," he whispered and his owl hooted softly in reply. He quickly devoured the last scraps of his dinner and excused himself from his friend's company. Hermione grabbed his arm and their eyes locked.

"Don't worry too much, Harry. Make sure you get some rest later tonight," she said sternly.

"Yes mum," he muttered, eyes sparkling brightly with amusement. 

"Mum?" Ron asked mildly. At Hermione's glare, he quickly scooted further down the bench.

Hedwig was still following him, flying low as he set out for the hospital wing. He had brought his bag so he could try to get a start on an essay about the Patronus and how it works. He finally reached the wing and it was dark. 

"Who is it?" an irritated voice suddenly pierced the silence, making his heart jump. "Oh …" Madam Pomfrey had a bored expression on her face when she saw him. "Well, I trust you will not try and wake him up unnecessarily."

"He's still asleep?"

"Yes and probably will be until dawn. You can sleep on the bed next to his if you are intent on keeping vigil." Madam Pomfrey studied him for another minute before disappearing into her office.

_I wonder how she knew about Drake and me. Did someone tell her or have we been obvious about it?_ He was still wondering when he conjured a small desk and a chair beside Draco's bed. He quietly took out a roll of empty parchment, a bottle of dark blue ink and a couple of quills and arranged them all neatly on the desk. 

He checked the nurse's office but she was unlikely to step out of the office so soon. He took a chance and sat carefully on the bed. It had been a long while since he had taken the time to watch Draco while he was asleep. Harry didn't want to wake the Slytherin so he merely watched the sleeping form instead. His heart was laden with a feeling so intense that he wasn't able to describe it in words or thoughts, all he knew was that if Draco left him, he would break. He couldn't see himself being alone or with someone else now. 

_Should I be glad I didn't see what he saw? _Harry's eyes followed the steady rise and fall of Draco's chest. _Should I ask him why he was so upset?_ He sighed in frustration.

__

Drake, don't ever leave me, he thought, lightly caressing Draco's fingers. 

**********

****

In the middle of the night.

Draco woke, gasping and trembling all over. He didn't understand why he felt so frightened and tried to recall what he had seen. _Harry. Dead. Dumbledore too. Sev betraying Remus and Remus. Dead. Voldemort kills Sev. Slaughter. Blood. Everyone dead. _

He felt paralyzed with fear and didn't even realize that he was sobbing aloud. Suddenly there was light but his sight was fuzzy. He vaguely heard a male voice arguing with a female one and the light went out. Then he was lifted by strong, comforting hands. It was Harry, holding and comforting him.

**_"Drake, it's all right. I'm here,"_ **Harry said while making soothing sounds verbally. 

Draco mustered enough strength to turn his face into Harry's chest. He wanted to hear the sound of a beating heart so badly that it alarmed Harry.

**_"Is there anything you wish to tell me?" _**the Gryffindor asked after several minutes had passed.

Draco took a deep breath and loosened his death grip on his boyfriend. **_"No, but I have a question to ask." _**

"Then ask," Harry answered without hesitation.

**_"How accurate can visions be?" _**Draco wiped his eyes and looked up at the Gryffindor.

**_"The Future is fluid, lover. There's no straight path to it," _**Harry answered. 

**_"So there is a chance that what I saw will not come true," _**Draco said, looking a little relieved.

**_"Are you allowed to tell me what you have seen?"_** Harry kissed his forehead tenderly.

**_"No way. Trelawney said that it might come true if I tell you," _**Draco said with more humor this time. That's because the Divination professor didn't give any such warnings. 

**_"You're lying," _**Harry accused. Draco just grinned and his boyfriend smiled. **_"Feeling better?" _**

"Yes, I am. Blast it!" The light-haired Slytherin began to swear ardently. 

**_"What's wrong?" _**Harry asked in a concerned tone.

**_"What's the name of the goddamn stone?"_**

"You mean that?" Green eyes stared at a small dark form on the circular table. 

**_"Yes!"_**

"Hermione said it was an azurite. Trelawney said that it was a very good stone for you, ironically."

**_"And how is that so?" _**Draco demanded.

**_"Because you're a Sagittarius," _**the Gryffindor answered in a somewhat gleeful tone. Draco stared at him, looking very much stupefied. **_"I've yet to learn when your birthday is, O great Dragon." _**

"What if I tell you my birthday's in October? I am _named Draco after all."_

"Sev hinted at it, something like Stonehenge being at its most powerful in winter…." Harry was grinning broadly and Draco smacked him lightly on the rump in annoyance. 

**_ "Why the hell did he tell you anything?" _**Draco grumbled.

**_"Come on, lover. You know my birthday! Tell me yours!" _**Harry pleaded and began to kiss him. 

"Not … fair!" Draco took a huge gulp of air when his boyfriend finally released him. He cringed when Harry looked at him threateningly. His fears were confirmed when Harry immediately got up from his position and suddenly pounced on him. If there was one thing that Draco couldn't handle, this was it. Harry was doing his best to seduce the hapless Slytherin. When the silver-eyed Slytherin began to purr, Harry knew that he had won.

**_"Damn you!"_**

"Uhmmm?" Harry was intent on licking and nibbling on Draco's earlobe. 

**_"Okay! Stop! For Merlin's sake, Green-Eyes, Madam Pomfrey might come in at any minute!" _**

"Tell me first," Harry said softly and started to lick on the pale throat instead. A louder purr emerged from Draco. 

**_"All right, you maniac! Seventeenth! December!" _**he yelled. 

Harry stopped his ministrations and slowly climbed off the Slytherin. "Do you want to see her and ask if you could go back to your own room?" the Gryffindor asked wistfully.

Draco stared at his boyfriend in amusement. _Well, the truth is I **am** hungry … _His thought trailed off as he stared intently at Harry's body. 

"Let's ask." 

**********

****

Two hours later in the Room of Requirement.

After a frenzied session of intimacy, Draco finally broached the subject of his vision to Harry. 

"I think the Final Day will fall on Halloween," he said softly, licking sensuously on Harry's collarbone. 

"Why that day?" 

"I don't know," the Slytherin answered evasively. Harry rolled him over so that he was lying flat on his back. 

"Don't hide things from me, Drake. It's uncomfortable," the Gryffindor told him with a pained expression.

"I don't know why but you were lighting a candle in memory of those who died. Your parents were killed by Voldemort on Halloween night, right?" Draco suppressed a gasp when Harry bit on his neck unexpectedly. _It's good that I'm wearing a turtleneck tomorrow or I'd probably scandalize Dean and the rest by displaying the love-bite. _

"Hmmmm … That's possible. Anything else?" 

"I can't really think, Green-Eyes," Draco replied, arching his body towards Harry. 

"Then let's not think. Incidentally, Sev's found a way to combine the quartz and amethyst together."

"Really?" 

"Yes, he even had the tools for doing it," Harry mumbled.

"Bracelets and gems. I think the two of you should just set up a jewelry shop," Draco teased and laughed when Harry scowled at him.

A quick flash of Harry's death caused his mood to change. Instantly, the scowl vanished from the Gryffindor's face. 

**_"Green-Eyes? Can I ask you a favor?" _**Draco looked earnestly into the brilliant green eyes gazing fondly at him. **_"Don't give up." _**

**_"Can you do me a favor too? Don't leave me." _**

The terror Draco felt earlier came back but he managed to subdue it. _I'll try, Harry. _Draco's arms circled his boyfriend's neck and he pulled the Gryffindor closer. With their lips almost touching, he answered, **_"I won't leave you. Ever."_** And sealed that promise with a kiss. 

**********

Firesword:

Was this chapter confusing? Anyway, Chapter 18 … loads and loads of action… Hope you guys will love it… I'll update this chap maybe five days after Chapter 17 has been uploaded. Yes, I am being mean… :p  



	18. The Final Exchange

****

~ Chapter 18: The Final Exchange ~

It was an ordinary autumn morning aside from the fact that Sev wasn't teaching — or tutoring Harry. The Potions Master was hard at work in his brightly lit chamber while his colleague and lover, Remus, sat on the bed, marking students' assignments. An ear-piercing whistle caused the brown-eyed wizard to wince, jarring the man's concentration. He looked up to see the black-robed wizard standing hunched in a corner of the room. Sev's eyes were narrowed with concentration; he carefully carved a design out of the quartz where the amethyst would need to fit perfectly. This wasn't ordinarily done — not that any experienced jeweler had ever tried to do what he was doing. Remus sighed and shifted a little. He looked up again at the standing wizard and suppressed a sigh of irritation. He knew that Harry was racing against time but he wished that Sev would just stop working for a little while to spend time with him. Remus took a deep breath and resumed working on the papers. 

Since Sev worked on the stones at every chance he had, the stones were finally fused together on the ninth of October. Now it was the youngsters' turn to test and experiment with the finished product. Though Harry was curious as to how Sev had managed it, the boy thought that his godfather deserved to keep certain things to himself. The weekend arrived and the Potions Master volunteered to be Harry's newest test subject much to the annoyance of the Defence professor. Remus hid his irritation well but could never successfully keep it a secret from Harry. That was another source of irritation for the golden-eyed wizard. He was unsure why he was bothered by it now but the fact that the young Gryffindor was aware of his mood swings — Harry had given him several oblique looks — unnerved him. 

The results of the experiments that Harry and Hermione had carried out with the gems were satisfactory. The emerald-eyed boy believed that his theory would work but the only way to know for certain would be to attack Voldemort with the stones. Hermione and Professor Flitwick worked closely together on creating the specific spells to help the stones along while Harry and Draco discussed what it would take to eliminate the Dark Lord for good. The boys still were unsure what the final step would be after two weeks had passed. 

During the third week of October, the seventh-years had to sit the mock NEWT exams. The Potions practical test was relatively easy; all the students needed to concoct were a Shapeshifting Potion and its antidote. Harry became a Black-look-alike but had to spend two days sporting a cat's tail since he had made a small mistake when he brewed the reversal potion. Draco couldn't stop teasing the Gryffindor both in and out of class. It was particularly embarrassing for the raven-haired boy when the two were in the mood for intimacy and the tail happened to get in the way. It invariably broke the mood, and the Slytherin would end up laughing for hours. 

Draco was looking forward to the Defence practical exam since it would give him the opportunity to prove to a certain skeptical Weasley that he was able to conjure a useful Patronus. Fortunately for him, he didn't notice Dean imitating a ferret when his back was turned. However, the Slytherin surprised his peers when he successfully called up the Patronus that had saved his soul just months before. It was the first time that Remus had seen the huge ghostly dog and he was speechless. It amused Harry that no one seemed to think that his stag was anything special anymore, not that he cared.

Dumbledore thought that the students had worked hard enough and he decided to arrange for a trip to the wizarding village so that the youngsters could de-stress. He announced that they would have a Hogsmeade weekend later that week.

**********

****

Saturday, 25th October. Hogsmeade.

After their shopping, Harry's group met up at a new bar selling cold fruit juice set just beside The Three Broomsticks. Draco, Harry and Ron were each carrying armloads worth of sweets. Draco's bag gave a loud thud as the Slytherin dropped it and he gracelessly sprawled into his chair. 

"Drinks for you, lads?" the owner of the bar asked politely.

Draco studied the menu written on the blackboard. He had no idea if a Peppermint Milk Shake would taste good but he bought one anyway. He took a sip using the purple straw and decided the drink was nice. 

"Draco, what on earth is this?" Ginny held out a round jar containing a white, milky substance. 

"Lubricant," the Slytherin responded easily and smirked when Dean's eyes bulged. Harry glared at him.

"He's joking," Harry said.

"Then what is it?" Ginny persisted.

"Varnish for parchment. It laminates," Draco answered while drinking. Ginny wanted to ask what he was going to do with it when she saw Ernie talking to a group of Hufflepuffs. The Head Boy then headed for a group of Slytherins.

"Looks like it is time for us to get back to the carriages," Seamus observed. Some of them sighed in disappointment. Draco took a last sip of his shake before hurrying after his friends. As soon as they neared Hogsmeade station, they realized that something was wrong.

A huge crowd of students had gathered to one side and there seemed to be a lot of whispering going around. Harry distinctly heard several male voices cursing at once and he thought he heard Tonks screaming for someone to fetch Dumbledore. Draco hefted his grocery bag to one side while he drew his wand. Harry's group cautiously approached the crowd and slowly insinuated themselves into it. 

**_"What in Merlin's name?" _**Draco swore as he watched Leren and Theodore being manhandled by several tough station guards. Out of the way from the main action, he saw Tonks giving a helping hand to Blaise. He scanned the crowd again and saw Pansy, Greg and Vince trying to be inconspicuous though Tonks didn't let them out of her sight.

**_"Luna … she's hurt," _**Harry said in a worried tone. The Slytherin watched as his boyfriend and Hermione approached the disheveled girl. She had a vivid bruise on her left cheek. 

**_"What happened?" _**Draco asked, watching Harry from a distance.

**_"She says that Leren suddenly pushed her and she nearly fell onto the tracks. Thankfully, she collided with a bench and managed to stay on the platform," _**the Gryffindor answered with a frown.

Dumbledore and a group of Aurors appeared, striding forward purposefully. All of them looked unhappy. Draco watched as Kingsley ordered his team to take the two boys into custody. He cursed silently when he saw Leren's parents storming through the crowd. The Slytherin was sure that the adults would demand their son's release — Mrs. Montague looked livid. 

Mr. Montague, a tall sharp-nosed wizard wearing dark blue robes waved his wand at his son so suddenly that the guards weren't able to react quickly enough. However, it was not the wizard's intention to hurt the guards. Instead, Mr. Montague had severed Leren's left sleeve and completely exposed his son's fair arm. The older wizard shook with rage when he saw Voldemort's mark. Mrs. Montague slapped her second son and Leren looked at her, stunned.

"This — boy," Mrs. Montague hissed in between sobs, "takes orders from his older brother. By all means, _we_ allow you to take our eldest son away too!"

"Our Master will find us and kill you —" Leren's voice was quickly muted by a Silencing Charm from Kingsley.

**_"Where are they going to be taken to?" _**Draco asked as he watched the Aurors and their captives being led back into the village. 

**_"Not to Azkaban for sure," _**Harry replied. **_"I think they will put Leren and Theodore someplace that is Unplottable."_**

Draco reinserted his wand into its holder along his slacks and the crowd of students began to board the waiting carriages. The incident haunted most students as they headed back to the castle; their euphoria from the day trip vanished in the face of the troubled events of the afternoon. The three other known Death Eaters in Hogwarts maintained a low profile and kept their distance from everyone else. 

**__**

"Considering that there was a bunch of hotheaded Gryffindors near the site, it is lucky things didn't get too violent," Draco remarked to his boyfriend lightly. 

**__**

"Don't remind me." Harry shuddered, imagining a very barbarous crowd beating up the Slytherin captain. 

**********

****

Tuesday, 28th October. Lunch break.

Draco hurried down the magical staircase toward the Great Hall and pulled his robes closer to his body. _Damn Harry and his pranks. _Murderous thoughts were running through his mind as he descended the steps swiftly. Harry had massaged his entire body with ointment but Draco had not been aware that the ointment was a joke material. The Slytherin found out about its side effects while he took a quick shower. His yelling had caused his lover to bolt and flee to the safety of his friends. 

It was already a cold day but the prank that he had been subjected to made the cold almost intolerable. He passed a group of young fawning Gryffindor girls when something crossed his mind. _Why didn't I think of it earlier? _He scolded himself and slowly, a thin layer of flames surrounded him. 

"Hey! Are you all right?" asked a Gryffindor boy. The lad seriously looked alarmed. 

"I'm fine. I'm cold so I'm warming myself," Draco told the boy lazily. _Although there are better ways to get warm... _Then he shook himself. _It's school time so don't think about getting Harry in a bed._ Hermione and Ron gave him odd looks but Harry was looking anywhere but at Draco.

**_"Do I sense someone feeling guilty about something?" _**Draco remarked as he sat across his boyfriend.

**_"It must be your imagination," _**the Gryffindor replied innocently. 

Draco snorted and plied himself with food. He suddenly froze in his movements when he saw Blaise sitting with them. It wasn't his housemate's presence that shocked him, but the fact that Luna was resting her head against the Slytherin's shoulder and Blaise's arm was curled around her waist. The bruise on the Ravenclaw's cheek — the one she had received a few days ago — was fully healed.

**_"Did I miss something?" _**Draco asked his boyfriend curiously.

**_"You mean them?" _**Harry glanced quickly in Luna's direction. 

**__**

"Yes. Since when did they become official?" 

Harry smiled faintly as he answered, **_"I'm not sure but I suspect they were already together even before the trip to Hogsmeade."_**

Draco stared at the new couple briefly before eating his lunch. He saw that Ginny was scribbling something furiously. He waited until he had finished his meal before taking a quick look at what she was writing. It turned out to be a list — of their birthdays. _Well … did she pester Harry for my birthday? _He looked at the redheaded girl in amusement. 

"Harry, when is Sev's birthday?"

The girl asked the question so suddenly that it startled the emerald-eyed boy and Harry accidentally bit his tongue. Draco's boyfriend coughed uneasily. All eyes were on him and like Ginny, Hermione was keen to know when the Potions Master celebrated his birthday. 

"I can't say — he'll kill me if I do — I promised not to tell anyone," Harry stammered and looked at his godfather rather nervously.

"Chicken," Ginny muttered. "Since you're not telling, I think I'll just ask him myself."

"You'll be sadly missed if Sev hexes you into dust," Draco said earnestly. She made a face at him and before anyone else could say anything, Ginny was on her way to the teachers' table. 

"Professor Snape? When were you born?" Ginny asked sweetly. 

"I don't think it is any business of yours, Miss Weasley," Sev replied, scowling darkly at her. 

"Ninth of June," Remus said quickly. 

_"Remus,"_ Sev growled. 

"What?" The Defence professor looked at the Potions Master innocently. Then Remus leaned closer and whispered in Sev's ear, "Are you going to spank me?"

"Don't. Push. It." Sev clenched his jaws and determinedly looked at the doors. 

"Are you sure?" 

Ginny blushed at Remus's insinuation and waited desperately for a moment to gain their attention. "Uh … Professor Lupin? What about you?" 

"Me? Actually …" Remus hesitated. "Don't be disappointed but actually … I'm born on the twenty-fourth this month." 

"Oh. Okay. Thanks!" Ginny hurried back to her seat, glad to be far away from the glaring Potions Master. She had an impudent grin on her face and showed her parchment to Harry. 

"You're lucky he didn't scream above a whisper," Harry mumbled gloomily.

"Pity! We missed Remus's birthday!" Hermione studied the completed list. 

"Too bad the lake would be frozen when _his_ birthday comes," Dean said lightly. 

"What if it isn't?" Seamus looked at his friend in bafflement and Draco just pretended he hadn't heard a word.

"We could dunk him in there," Ginny's boyfriend replied. 

Draco ignored the jests and merely observed his boyfriend. 

**_"What's on your mind?" _**Harry asked softly. Draco knew that Harry knew that he was troubled but the Slytherin never really confessed what was bothering him. 

**_"Nothing really," _**Draco answered and smiled. The Slytherin hoped that the emerald-eyed boy would stop worrying about him but Harry wasn't convinced. **_"Green-Eyes…" _**Draco pouted. The Gryffindor chuckled and threw his hands up in defeat.

"Hey, what are you guys planning to do on Halloween?" Dean inquired.

"What else can we do?" Ron asked and suddenly let out a loud burp. "Oops — sorry."

"I heard that some Hufflepuffs are arranging a dancing competition," Ginny piped up. 

"Why don't you partner up with your boyfriend? He can sing — let's see if he can dance too," Hermione suggested slyly to Harry.

"No way," Draco spoke firmly. The Slytherin checked his watch and kicked Harry's leg lightly. "We'd better get going. Potions is starting in ten minutes."

"See you later guys," Harry said as he stood. 

"See you later, Ron," Hermione whispered to her boyfriend and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then she linked her arms with Harry and Draco as they exited from the Hall. 

**********

****

Friday, 31st October. In the Room of Requirement.

Harry stood in front of the long mirror and sighed in exasperation. _Why can't I have a good hair day at least once in my life? _He scowled at his reflection and tried to comb his hair again. _My hair is too damned thick and_ — He nearly yelled in frustration. 

"Green-Eyes, are you done?" Draco approached him while readjusting his sleeves. 

"Drake, I tried my best but…" Harry tugged at his hair, hoping that his boyfriend would get the hint. 

"Maybe you should consider shaving your head," Draco said lightly. Then his lips stretched into a wide grin when Harry glared. "Leave it as it is, lover. When you get older, I think you should don a longer length," the Slytherin murmured as he hugged Harry from behind. A humble knock on their door broke the peaceful silence between them.

"Harry? Draco? Are you ready?" The voice belonged to Hermione.

Harry made a last attempt brushing his hair but instantly gave up when his friend knocked again. **_"We might as well go now," _**the Gryffindor said in a resigned tone. He opened the door and smiled at Hermione. "Where's Ron?"

"On his way. Why didn't you use that SleekEasy potion?" Hermione asked curiously, examining Harry's hair.

"Saving it up for the Yule Ball," Harry answered flippantly and his friend raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. Really?" She looked skeptical. "Who did you ask to be your partner?"

Harry shrugged but he was looking wistfully at Draco.

"Hey! Let's go down!" Ron appeared, with the rest of their friends several feet away. 

"Yeah, let's go," Harry agreed. As they were descending the staircase, he boldly asked Draco, **_"Would you be my partner for the Yule Ball, Drake?" _**

Draco turned around quickly, disbelief clear in his eyes. Then the Slytherin forced himself to keep walking and Harry waited anxiously for his boyfriend's reply. The Gryffindor was a little surprised that his request had actually made his silver-eyed lover flustered. They finally reached the ground floor but the Slytherin hadn't replied. Just when Harry started to feel disappointed, he felt Draco's fingers lightly brush his. Harry turned and his spirits soared when he saw the gentle look in the Slytherin's eyes. 

**_"I accept," _**the Slytherin answered shyly. **_"Thank you for asking me out."_**

Harry couldn't help himself; he started to grin like a madman. Draco didn't say anything either but happiness shone in his eyes. They went into the Great Hall and headed straight for their usual seats. 

"I don't see Sev," Hermione remarked as she took her seat. 

Harry looked curiously at the staff table. _Remus isn't here either. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if the two decided to skip the feast to spend time with each other instead. I **have** taken up too much of Sev's time the last few days. _

They didn't have to wait very long for the feast to begin. A variety of dishes materialized on the massive oak tables. A colony of bats swooped down and Hermione's hands unconsciously went to protect her hair. 

"They won't get tangled in your hair, you know," Draco muttered. 

"Just instinct," Hermione replied sheepishly. Ron wanted to comment but his girlfriend shut him up with a look. 

Harry chuckled and helped himself to some roasted chicken. _Poor Ron. It seems like 'Mione won't tolerate his habit of speaking with his mouth full._

"Is it just me or is the Hall getting brighter than last Halloween?" Dean asked in amusement.

"Too many pumpkins," Ginny said. 

Harry munched thoughtfully and tried not to be obvious about studying his boyfriend. _Why does he keep looking back at the window? _The Gryffindor wondered. _Why is he feeling … edgy?_ Harry turned his head slightly and watched the pale-haired Slytherin beside him. A feeling of anxiety reached him but it was not coming from his boyfriend or any of his friends. He felt Sev entering the Hall just as Hermione elbowed him lightly.

Heads turned and followed the Potions Master's movement across the Hall. The chattering and whispers died out and the students watched Sev's grim expression uneasily. Harry stared at his godfather as the man leaned forward to speak softly to the Headmaster. _It can't be about Remus's transformation. We won't have a full moon until the fourteenth next month. _The Gryffindor refocused his attention on Dumbledore. The older wizard shook his head and Harry saw him turn to McGonagall. She too, shook her head. 

Those who didn't know Sev well would think he was just being grouchy like usual, but that wasn't the case at all. The Potions Master was worried about something and Harry was about to find out why. Harry's group paused eating as they waited for Sev to reach their table. 

"Have any of you seen Professor Lupin?" Sev asked in an undertone. For no obvious reason, Draco turned pale. 

The youngsters exchanged glances but it was Hermione who broke the uncomfortable silence. "No, we haven't. We thought that," her voice dropped below a whisper, "he was with you."

"Well, obviously, since I am here asking for him, he isn't," Sev answered bitterly and turned to go.

It took Harry a few moments to summon his limbs to move. When he did, he ended up running toward his godfather. The Gryffindor managed to intercept the downcast wizard and whispered harshly.

"Did you guys quarrel?" Harry asked, making sure that no one near them was able to hear the words.

"We did not, Harry. I couldn't find him in any of his usual haunts — We had agreed on having dinner in my quarters," Sev replied softly. "Two hours have passed and he still hasn't turned up." 

"But it's unlike him not to leave a note or inform you beforehand," Draco said with a frown.

"Sev, Dumbledore hasn't any idea where Remus could be, does he?" Harry asked after a moment. At his godfather's nod, the Gryffindor's eyes darkened. "I don't like it." Without warning he summoned a map — the Marauder's map. His godfather looked at the familiar roll with narrowed eyes but unlike the last time, Sev knew the map for what it was.

Harry drew his wand and tapped the surface of the map lightly as he spoke: _"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_ He waited until the parchment revealed all of Hogwarts' passages. He saw tiny labeled dots belonging to himself, Sev and Draco; the map also showed that Hermione and the rest of his friends were heading his way. However, there was no sign indicating that Remus was in Hogwarts at all. Before Harry could even think about how _that_ was possible, his scar burned intensely, temporarily disabling him.

"Harry?" Draco reached for him but the Slytherin doubled in pain a second later. 

Harry was unaware that some of the staff and students were in similar pain. He couldn't think past the pain that surrounded his mind and in that moment of weakness, someone attempted to strangle him. His arms flailed about wildly for a moment before he thought of using magic to throw the person off of him. 

"What's going on?" Harry heard someone demanded. 

"Stop him!" Dumbledore shouted. "You two! Grab the professor!"

_What in the hell is going on? _Harry cursed. He fisted his fingers and willed the pain to go away. When he stopped seeing double, he saw to his horror that Draco, Neville and Ron were trying to restrain his godfather.

"Get off him!" Harry shouted.

"No!" Hermione pulled him back. "He's not himself! He tried to strangle you!" 

"What?" his jaw dropped. A detached part of him studied the Potions Master and concluded that the wizard was being controlled. Someone was manipulating his godfather through the Dark Mark. It didn't take long for him to realize that Voldemort was around the castle — somewhere.

_Does that mean that Remus is in **his** reach? How on earth did that happen?! _one part of his mind clamored. "Draco, stay here with Sev," Harry commanded sharply.

"Where are you going?" the Slytherin asked harshly. 

"Voldemort. It's time." Harry gazed steadily at his boyfriend. 

Dumbledore quickly came and knelt down beside the struggling Potions Master. The Headmaster chanted a spell and Sev became limp and his eyes closed. Then the old wizard glanced sideways at Harry. "Are you sure?" 

Harry tilted his head to one side. He was sure that he felt strong magical energy coming from due south. He nodded his head in confirmation and turned to leave. However, he was brutally pulled back and found himself staring into a pair of stormy gray eyes.

**_"Sirius told me to stick to you always. _You_ made me promise never to leave you. I'm coming with you."_ **

Harry smiled faintly at the annoyance radiating out from the Slytherin. **_"Of course you are coming with me. I think I might need you. You know, as backup energy or something."_**

Draco only snorted and both proceeded out of the Hall. Seconds later, Dumbledore and the DA members followed them, armed and ready for action.

**********

"I wished we had thought of sending — no, _having_ scouts," Harry muttered as the group stealthily crossed the grounds and into the Forbidden Forest. They were being extra cautious since there was no moonlight to help them along and Dumbledore felt it unwise to light their wands. 

"Well, we can always depend on you to _feel _them out," Ron said, half attempting to joke. 

"You're right," Harry reluctantly agreed and raised his hand to signal for a stop. 

"You can just skip trying to see them with Othersight. The magic is too strong here for it to be of help," Draco inserted.

"Death Eaters," Harry suddenly said and summoned his Patronus. With the stag taking the lead, other misty-shaped Patronii followed it and charged toward a group of Voldemort's followers.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Dozens of voices pierced the silence of the forest.

_"Avada Kedavra!" _was the response from the wizards that had been waiting for them. 

The youngsters dropped to the ground while Dumbledore took cover behind a massive trunk. Harry and his friends continued to try to disarm the wizards leaving the Headmaster free to tackle the enemies secretly. A minute later, their enemies were turned to stone. Harry's group moved forward and did not look back even when they heard a loud crashing noise coming from the stone Death Eaters.

"This way," Harry instructed in a quiet voice and the group went slowly. There were so many raised roots and pits just ahead of them that by the time they reached flat and _easy_ ground, the youngsters were sweating from the arduous course. They had been walking for about fifteen minutes or so when Draco's sharp eyes spotted the slightest flicker of light. 

Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione crept along the ground. When the intensity of the light grew, they crouched and moved slowly until… Hermione gasped in horror. What they saw was truly chilling. Remus was suspended five feet above ground and his robes hung about him in tatters. 

**_"What's the whole point of doing that to him?" _**Draco asked. The Slytherin was seething with anger.

**_"He is still alive," _**Harry said after checking the life force that was present in the wizard's body. His scar throbbed again but he ignored it. 

"They're going to flog him," Hermione choked on the words. As if her voice had triggered it, the black chain about Harry's neck grew cold all of a sudden. A forceful gale swept across them. It was then that they saw the wraiths again, shielding the unconscious Defence professor with the strange vortex that was a threat to all other ghostly apparitions. 

"Harry…" Ginny pulled at the boy's sleeve and handed him a wand that he recognized as Remus's. He took the wand and tucked it safely inside a pocket before returning his attention to the melee unfolding in the small clearing. Voldemort wasn't there however.

"Demons!" Neville shrieked out suddenly, gaining attention from both his friends and the Death Eaters who seemed too busy dealing with Sirius and his company.

"Potter! He is out there!" one of Voldemort's followers yelled. 

Harry muttered out every curse that he knew as he withdrew from his position and straightened his back. Behind Dumbledore's army was a group of about twenty demonic beings — towering over eight feet in height. 

_"Stupefy!" _Neville yelled and one of the demons became disorientated but only temporarily. Harry's group made the mistake of thinking that the creatures were slow moving. The green-eyed Gryffindor barely got away just as a set of claws ripped through the space where he had been standing seconds before. 

If that wasn't bad enough for the company of teenagers, giants carrying huge spiked clubs came crashing into the area. Harry recognized the thundering footsteps quite well. The demons were herding them toward the clearing before they knew it.

"Incoming!" Ron yelled. Dumbledore and Hermione managed to stop a flying giant club in midair before it got the chance to hit them. Dumbledore chanted a very tricky-to-pronounce spell and sent the club flying back to its thrower. Harry felt vibrations on the ground but the giants didn't cause it. 

"Move out of the way," a strange voice hissed. 

"There he is!" a Death Eater exclaimed, clambering up to his feet only to be knocked back by two arrows fired by Bane. More centaurs appeared by their leader and the band trotted to the area where the giants had congregated. Harry's group was now in the clearing and they had to deal with the demons and Voldemort's minions at the same time.

"How the hell are we going to finish _them _off?" Dean asked angrily before letting loose a Blasting Curse. That worked, but only to a certain degree. 

**********

****

Thirty minutes later…

Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville and Seamus were standing back to back in a circle as they warded off the Death Eaters following them. Once cleared, the group moved deeper into the forest. While they were on the run, Harry could feel Draco's fear increasing with every passing minute. Dumbledore's army had been separated into three groups and Draco was stuck with half of the DA members trying to fend off the demons.

**_"Harry! Where in the hell are you?!" _**Draco's thought was almost panicky and Harry felt his heart contract with the sheer intensity of desperation that accompanied the thought.

**_"Don't worry, Drake. I'm safe —" _**The Gryffindor's reply was extremely cut off when he felt a strong surge of bloodlust. Ron swore and quickly informed the rest of the group that they were still being chased.

Harry looked around; he could tell that he was in familiar territory. "Guys, this way!" 

"Harry!" Neville struggled to keep pace with the rest. "Where are you taking us?" 

"Near Aragog's lair," Harry answered quickly.

"Near what?"

"Harry, are you mad?" Ron glanced at the dark-haired Gryffindor.

"I probably am," Harry agreed.

**********

Dumbledore's eyes scanned the area quickly and he winced when he saw Ginny's form being smashed against a tree. To his amazement, the girl got back on her feet and furiously cursed the demon incoherent. There was movement to his right and he responded to it, knocking out two Death Eaters with a single wave of his wand.

_I think it may be prudent to call for help now,_ the wizard thought. With that decision made, he lifted his wand and a second later, a ball of light shot high above the forest canopy and exploded into a shower of blue sparks, illuminating the black sky.

**********

****

In the Hall…

"Hey! What's that?" a second-year Gryffindor asked curiously and immediately got out of his seat. The boy pressed his forehead against the window and looked up at the sky. He was sure that he had seen something. More of his friends followed and in the end, McGonagall too ended up watching through the glass. 

"Look!" a young girl pointed excitedly at the sky. 

"Professor Dumbledore called for help," Hagrid said slowly.

"Yes, but he's been answered," McGonagall replied distractedly, her eyes reflecting the blinding white sparks. The half-giant left her side quietly. "Oh, I do hope they're all ri — Hagrid? Hagrid!"

"He's going into the Forest," Professor Flitwick said grimly. 

"And it seems like he has collected a following," Madam Hooch commented.

McGonagall whirled around, just in time to see the last few fourth years and Firenze heading out of the Hall. She looked stricken and sat down on the nearest bench quickly.

"Stop the children…" Sev croaked out. McGonagall turned to see the Potions Master sit up and the Slytherins who had been keeping an eye on him backed away instantly. "They're too young to deal with _him_." 

"You stay here, Minerva. I'll go after them," Professor Sinistra said and the witch whisked out of sight.

**********

Luna fired off a Bewitched Sleep Hex behind her and tripped on a root. 

"Come on!" Harry hefted her up and casted a Confundus Charm on a very persistent wizard but since the latter was quick on his feet, the Gryffindor missed. "Damn!" Harry pulled back his arm and punched the opponent just as Ron aimed a kick at the man's groin.

"Ouch. That had better hurt," Seamus muttered.

"Harry, what _is _your plan?" Ron wheezed.

"I'm not entirely sure but —"

"Aaaahhhh!!!" It was raining webs a moment later and all of them were stuck. Harry's view completely blackened when something jumped atop him. The Gryffindor fell to the ground, pinned by something strong. A strange scent filled his nostrils and one of Aragog's legs pointed at his throat menacingly. 

"Why is it that you and your kind disturbs the quiet peace in the forest once again, _friend_ _of Hagrid_?" the acromantula growled.

Luna muffled her screams; it was the first time she ever came across the family of giant spiders — and the ground, _and_ trees were teeming with them. Ron was staring at the gigantic spider in terror, his eyes wide. He really looked petrified. A strange high-pitched squeal penetrated the forest, causing some of the spiders to scuttle around nervously. 

"Why have you brought Dark Wizards with you?" Aragog muttered angrily and Harry finally found his voice.

"So that you can eat them," the Gryffindor said quickly and his friends looked at him in horror. "But you can only eat the Dark Wizards — not us, or our friends. And only this once." 

"Meat…" a whisper from above the trees. "Let's feast on the flesh on those ruled by _him_…" One large spider suspended rattled. 

_That's probably his mate, _Harry thought inconsequentially.

"Come then, my children. We'll lie in wait here. The humans will come to us soon…" 

Harry dared not breathe a sigh of relief as the leg was withdrawn from his neck. He got up on his elbows and rid himself of the webs that clung onto his robes. He saw Neville looking at him with a strange expression. _He's probably thinking that I have become a cold-blooded killer. _

**_"Are you going to worry about whether you have done the right thing or not —_** **_now?" _**Draco asked almost incredulously. 

**_"Right now lover, I don't really care. Have you seen Voldemort?" _**Harry asked silently as he helped Luna disentangle herself from the thick webs. 

**_"I haven't been given a chance to look around, Green-Eyes. We're preoccupied with Voldemort's demon thingies."_**

"Come on, I think we ought to rejoin the others. We shouldn't have gotten separated in the first place," Luna squeaked. 

"Yeah, I agree," Ron seconded. "Hey, Seamus — you're bleeding."

Luna quickly severed the edge of her robe and tied strips around the boy's leg to put some pressure on the wound. Somewhere in the distance, they heard a loud honk and a chorus of screams and pleas for mercy.

"Harry, do you think the Ford Anglia is driving _them_ toward Aragog?" Ron asked in a sick voice. 

"Ron, do you really want to know?" Harry inquired politely.

"On second thought … I'd rather not."

**********

Remus had finally regained consciousness and he paled when he saw Sirius in his ghostly form. "Here's your wand," a disembodied voice startled him out of his paralysis and he slowly reached for it. His back ached; no surprise when he saw that his body was laced with reddening welts — some of them bled rather profusely.

_Merlin! Sev!_ Remus looked around him frantically. He didn't realize that Draco was watching him as well as the demons that were slowly circling them. 

"Sev's all right. He's in the castle," the Slytherin said slowly. There was a long slash along the boy's right cheek and Remus saw the pale-haired Slytherin wince in pain.

"Are you sure?" Remus spoke in a raspy voice. Draco nodded. 

"What's that?" Susan asked anxiously. Remus didn't have to strain his ears to hear it. A strange keening sound began to intensify throughout the forest and for once, the demons seemed terrified by something. It was evident in the way they were whirling around and slashing at the empty air with their claws. Their eyes began to glow crimson and Remus was mesmerized by the sight.

"Don't look at their eyes!" Sirius commanded and Remus jolted back into awareness. His friend was staring at him with what looked like regret and Remus's eyes watered heavily. The keening sound had turned into a loud wail and it was converging on their area. 

Hermione sank onto her knees and clapped her hands against her ears, face scrunched up into an expression of pain. Then the sound failed abruptly and Draco looked around in confusion. But Remus knew that the sound didn't stop at all; it was in a much higher frequency than anyone could hear. He didn't hear it but he felt it, like gentle waves of water against his skin.

They weren't prepared for what appeared next. Dozens of griffins swooped down on the demons and began a ferocious fight, carefully herding Voldemort's creatures into a circle. It was quickly apparent that the demonic beings weren't immune to the talons and beaks of the griffins. Remus saw that even their wings managed to cause severe damage. _I didn't know that their feathers were sharp. They look like plate armor. _The rest of the Death Eaters fled when a huge horde of goblins came forward via a single Portkey. The horde stopped and they rearranged themselves to trap the demons inside a perfectly shaped hexagon.

A mantra of cleansing began. Dumbledore warned his students not to look and Remus could see why. The process wasn't a pretty one and he knew that he would have nightmares just from seeing how the goblins mercilessly anatomized the demons before vaporizing the parts into ashes. It was a gruesome sight. 

Things got a little more chaotic when a fresh group of Death Eaters came upon them. However, they weren't expecting Dumbledore or the huge company of griffins. Remus felt a little nonplussed at the erratic, screaming behavior but his demeanor changed when row upon row of students stormed into the clearing.

Remus heard a group of girls screaming, _"Ferula!"_ and pointing their wands at a Death Eater. He was rather dubious about the outcome of the spell but was given a pleasant surprise by the Hufflepuffs. 

_"Rictusempra!" _Draco couldn't resist hexing the mummified wizard with the Tickling Charm. The Death Eater couldn't control his movements and rubbing against unyielding wood and a thick layer of bandages proved just as disastrous as a Cruciatus Curse wielded by Voldemort; especially after the wizard tripped and began rolling down a slope that had tangled roots running all over the ground.

"Professor Lupin!" one of the girls exclaimed and rushed over to him. "You're all right!"

_"Ferula?" _Remus inquired gently.

"Well, it worked didn't it?" The girl smiled happily at him and he returned it. Not all of the students were unharmed. Some had been inflicted with deep gashes all over their bodies and Remus was suddenly reminded of the hex that Sev had inflicted on James when they had been students. Several students had sprouted feelers over their heads and were scuttling along the ground like ants.

_Dear Lord… We're lucky that none of those bastards used the Killing Curse on them… _Remus trembled and felt arms on either side supporting him. He saw Sirius's regretful face again. _My friend…_

**********

"Aaahhh!!! Mummy rolling our way!" Ron shouted and the group jumped out of the way. Four Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw watched the black and white body — they didn't know that the person rolling down was still alive — in a bemused manner.

**_"Green-Eyes!" _**Draco threw himself upon Harry. The Gryffindor hugged the Slytherin back just as tightly. Harry completely forgot that they weren't alone and traced Draco's wound lightly. _He'll have a scar... it's rather deep._ **_"You don't have to worry about this,"_** Draco pointed at the wound. **_"Remus cast something on it so that infection won't settle in."_**

"He's all right?" Harry looked into the silver eyes anxiously.

**_"Sirius did a good job of protecting him."_**

The students who suddenly saw Draco running were shocked and scandalized when the Slytherin actually hugged his 'enemy'. By the looks of it, they knew that Draco also wanted to give the Gryffindor a kiss and would have had Hermione not pulled them apart.

"Griffins? Goblins?" Harry looked at the large company in astonishment. 

__

"Blaise?!" Luna became rigid as she watched her boyfriend walking slowly toward her. 

"What on earth are you — What are all of you doing here?" Harry asked sternly. 

Van, the sixth year Slytherin cleared his throat humbly. "We wanted to help, that's all. You did call for help…"

Harry muttered something inaudible as he approached a different-looking griffin. Unlike the rest who were golden-feathered, the one he had picked was wearing a silver breastplate. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professors Sinistra and Dumbledore helping to end the curses which some of the students were suffering from. 

The griffin appraised Harry and Draco calmly as the boys neared it. Up close, the griffin was as large as a centaur. The Gryffindor took a deep breath and asked the magical creature directly: "Where stands Voldemort, the Dark Lord?"

The students and staff of Hogwarts assembled closer to The Boy Who Lived and paid careful attention to the movements of the griffins. The creatures began congregating around their leader — the silver-armored griffin.

**_"What are they doing?"_** Draco asked quickly when he felt the air about him thicken with energy.

**_"I don't know," _**Harry replied, watching their glowing violet eyes avidly. Then the griffins started a low growl and the students sprang back nervously. All of the griffins turned in one direction and started slinking away. **_"Drake, look there." _**The Slytherin looked at the direction of his gaze and watched the thickening fog. 

**_"I think they've sniffed out Voldemort," _**the pale-haired boy finally spoke. The goblin horde went ahead with Harry and Draco behind them. The others started to follow but halted when they heard a shout:

"Descend!" Similar commands erupted in the darkness. Harry and Draco stopped in their paces and turned back sharply. They saw several girls faint when a very large snout poked through the trees.

"Charlie?" Ron and Ginny exclaimed incredulously. More dragons wove gracefully in between the trees and it was a little cramped in the clearing.

"Damn. Looks like we've missed most of the action," a blonde rider riding a Common Welsh Green muttered.

"But at least we've immobilized the giants that the centaurs were having trouble dealing with," Charlie Weasley replied with a grin.

One goblin stepped forward. Harry thought it was Griphook but he was probably mistaken. All of them looked alike anyway. 

"You'll get your chance, Dragon Keeper. If it pleases you, you are most welcome to go through the enemy lines first," the goblin rasped out, pointing a gnarly finger at the direction they were going. "We do not wish to endanger our partners unnecessarily." The rest of his kind nodded, placing their small hands on the griffins' sides protectively.

A white haired rider, who had a wrinkled and heavily tanned face and was wearing somber gray robes spoke to his colleagues, "Come on fellas. I'm sure there are more giants ahead."

"Adversaries which I completely hate to contend with," Charlie grumbled. "Nasty pikes."

"Hey, Craig," the blonde rider shouted. "Why don't you and your mate go ahead first? Joshua's feeling a mite bit vicious tonight, isn't he?"

"Right. He's still a little grumpy after that giant with the gold-studded pikes attacked his tail. I thought biting the head off would ease his anger somewhat," the one called Craig said.

"Well, you know dragons. Damn unpredictable fellows."

**_"Harry, are you sure that Charlie doesn't have a mean streak?" _**Draco turned a little pale upon hearing the riders' casual talk. Harry did not answer as he quickly walked out of the way — and range — of a very grumpy Hebridean Black.

**********

The ranks of tightly grouped students, goblins and griffins remained behind the safety of the broad ancient trees. Golgomath's heavily armed giant clan stood in wait for them. Harry wondered if the giants were shortsighted or lacked the sense of smell. Alternatively, were they aware that dragons had bracketed them? 

"Professor," Remus looked up at the old wizard, "won't the trees burn?"

"It is all right Remus," Dumbledore assured him. "Stand still; the riders are moving in."

Harry could have been watching a television screen accompanied with very loud speakers. He watched the play of fire and the slow swinging of the dangerous pikes in fascination. While the giants were busy harrying the dragons, Voldemort was watching them, protected by a shield.   
  
"We will summon the minotaurs now, Albus," one goblin informed the Headmaster.

"Minotaurs?" Ron whispered into Hermione's ear. "What good will they do?"

"I have heard that the creatures are capable of disrupting spells already in effect," his girlfriend answered, nodding her head in approval at the goblins' decision.

"That is correct," the goblin added. "They will also help you by making sure that the Dark Lord does not leave the vicinity. But that is all we will do," he spoke to Dumbledore. "What happens next is for you to decide."

"We have to figure out some way to distract the Death Eaters around him," Remus said quietly after the goblins and griffins retreated to one side for a summoning.

"Let's use every spell we know on them. Anti-Gravity Mist Hex, Disenchanting Spell — anything," Ginny said resolutely, then huddled against Dean for protection when a minotaur passed her. Several of the creatures emerged from the goblins' circle. Ron's eyes widened at the large battle axes the minotaurs carried, along with the horned helmets and heavy shields.

"Come on then, let's go with those guys," Van said eagerly.

"Only the quick and sure-footed should even attempt to get close," Remus warned.

"We know! And we'll stay out of the dragons' way!" 

"And the giants!" 

Harry and Draco remained behind while most of their friends and those who weren't too winded, planned their way to get close to the Death Eaters before joining the minotaurs in scattering Voldemort's backup. The silver-eyed Slytherin watched in a detached manner as Van and his friends chased after two forms, one of which had pale blond hair. Nevertheless, Lucius was persistent in keeping the minotaurs and students off himself and his Master. The students of Hogwarts were successful however, with the assistance of Craig and his Hebridean Black dragon. Lucius was nearly burned on the spot but the fire missed him. Draco watched the Death Eater impassively as he turned tail and headed into the denser part of the forest.

**********

A loud roar recaptured the attention of those who had remained in the safety zone. The sound did not come from one dragon but three. One of them was injured and two other riders riding the same species converged together. The Hebridean Black almost stood on its hind legs and lashed forward with its strong, razor-sharp claws. The giant that had attacked Craig's dragon collapsed after its chest was cut into ribbons. Slowly, the group of students who had been skirmishing returned. Ron was limping slightly and Remus asked after him in a worried tone.

"It's nothing, Remus. Just sprained," the boy panted and slowly sank onto the ground to rest. Most followed his example. Dumbledore looked across to where Voldemort was dealing with the summoned creatures of the goblins. It was clear that the Dark Lord was irritated and probably wondering where Harry Potter was.

**_"Drake, summon a dragon here."_**

Draco looked at the Gryffindor in bafflement but didn't argue — even though the Slytherin had no idea how he was going to do it. But call it he did, to his own amazement. 

"The bracelet must have helped," the pale-haired Slytherin muttered. 

Charlie seemed a little surprised when his dragon simply stopped fighting and slowly crawled toward Draco. A giant decided to take a piece of its leg. The red-haired rider held on to his seat as his dragon tensed and a powerful tail lashed out, knocking the giant backwards. Then Charlie's dragon continued to make its way to Draco.

**_"I knew you would be able to call one," _**Harry said with a smile. 

**_"And I fervently hope that I don't call one by accident in the future …."_**

Charlie stepped down from his suddenly well behaved ward. "What's going on?" he demanded of the two boys. 

"We're just borrowing, Charlie," Harry told him. **_"Drake, tell it to move so that it is able to shield the rest of them." _**

Draco's left hand reached up to touched the bracelet on his right and he concentrated hard. They heard a low rumble coming from the dragon and it shifted its position. Then it promptly began to sleep.

"I need all of you to do me a favor. Whatever happens, stay behind this dragon," Harry said sternly and his serious expression matched the tone of his voice. He was looking gravely at the students gathered around him.

**_"Lover, is there _**—**_" _**

**_"I don't know if we'll survive after this night, Drake. We don't fully know how the gems and the spells will work together. We've only speculated about what the consequences were going to be." _**Harry studied his friends carefully as he conversed silently with his boyfriend, as though imprinting their faces into his memory. 

**__**

"Well, then we shouldn't keep Voldemort waiting, don't you think?" Draco smiled faintly at him. Harry gave a final nod and both of them walked to the side, waiting for the right moment to cross the grounds. 

**_"Let's go while Voldemort is preoccupied with controlling the last of the giants!"_**

Draco nodded in affirmation and the two sped off. Halfway to reaching their target, Voldemort spotted them. Reacting in a fit of anger, the Dark Lord muttered several curses at both boys. When Harry realized that Voldemort was about to let fly a Killing curse, he warned Draco to get the firewall ready. 

Green light impacted on black and the magic energy coursed through the wall of fire, changing into pretty-looking lightning. Wordlessly, Harry took Draco's hand and they passed through the Slytherin's shield. As soon as the Gryffindor was within sight of the Dark Lord, Draco was knocked sideways by the sheer force that built when twin wands met. The Slytherin landed on the ground with a muffled cry.

Harry gritted his teeth and held his wand tightly in his hand. _He is strong,_ Harry thought and cursed silently when he felt his boots digging deep into the earth. He realized he was leaning slightly forward and tried to push the Dark Lord back. His arm tingled painfully and he started to sweat.

**_"Drake, when I tell you to, place the stones on his heart and push it into his body using your Fire Magic," _**he instructed his boyfriend as he issued more magic to flow into his wand.

**_"What? But I don't have the stones —"_**

"You do now," Harry answered impatiently. He blocked his boyfriend from his mind and stared at Voldemort calmly. Red eyes bored into his challengingly and the Gryffindor shuddered when he felt the Dark Lord's intense rage. During those moments, Harry accidentally caught a glimpse into one of Voldemort's darkest fantasies. He couldn't control his expression; his eyes widened in disbelief. 

The Dark Lord saw it and smiled. Voldemort wasn't happy however. He wanted to kill the Gryffindor but unfortunately, his wand thought otherwise. Harry somehow knew that Voldemort wasn't planning on killing him in a fair match, but rather one of more subtle and underhanded methods. 

"Damn you Potter," Voldemort hissed and grabbed Harry's free hand. The boy let out a gasp as the physically stronger wizard started twisting it. "Give in to me." The Dark Lord was forcing his wand to administer the Killing Curse.

"Never, Voldemort. Never." Harry's watery eyes fell onto their wands. The tip of the Dark Lord's began to glow with intense green light. Cracks slowly began to appear on both wands and Harry felt a surge of panic coming from his enemy. Silver light began to pour out of their magical instruments. Voldemort tried to loosen his grip from the wand but it was as if the wood was stuck permanently on his palm.

**********

_I will not fail! _Voldemort screamed mentally. _Blasted wand! You will not fail me!_ He twisted the boy's arm mercilessly. Their wands were slowly weakening.Then he found that he didn't really care about his wand. _I am a sorcerer and I will kill Potter with or without **my** wand. _A smile appeared on his face. He forgot that there was a pale-haired Slytherin watching him like a hawk calculating the movement of its prey. He paid dearly for his lack of attention.

Voldemort didn't even detect Draco's sudden movement and paralyzed by the wands, the Dark Lord fell prey to the Slytherin's fingers. He felt something go through his body but he wasn't expecting it to be literally. Blood spurted forth from his chest, spraying on Harry's arm; some of it splattered on the young Slytherin's face.

Voldemort immediately let go of Harry's hand and clutched at his chest. He looked down and in the middle of his black satin robes was a crystalline object. _It's embedded into my chest… _He felt odd; his vision started to darken and he slowly began to feel numb. _It's draining my energy… _

The amethyst was doing its job well and it quickly drained the Dark Wizard of his life force and magical energy. The quartz was turning black slowly. Voldemort weakly raised his head and looked upon the boy he had tried to kill far more times than he could count. They were still dueling with their wands but weakly. A flash of silver caught his eye. _Godric's sword. A mere child has bested me. How did he find a way? _He could no longer see the Gryffindor's face. _He may destroy my vessel but I will still soar free. I will return._

He breathed his last breath and heard the boy's resigned whisper to Draco. "Now, Drake. Merge your power with the wand." Even on the brink of Death, Voldemort was able to sense the Slytherin's magical energy.

Voldemort didn't see the quartz turn completely black. He began to feel separate from his body and elatedly; he strove to quicken the process. Then came the clash between sword, fire and crystal. _No… _

**********

They felt like they were directly in the path of a very wild hurricane. Ron shielded Hermione but it was more like everyone protected each other. Only the dragons protecting them from the shock waves remained imperturbable.

It was quite sometime before they felt safe to look in the direction where their friends had been. Hermione was still shaking violently as she stood, grabbing at Ron as if he was her lifeline. Dumbledore, Hagrid, Remus, the goblins, riders and students looked around the war zone. 

"What irony," Blaise said quietly and students nodded in agreement. Their surroundings were filled with a bluish haze accompanied by minute white lights. A soft breeze made the haze shift, swirling this way and that. It was a beautiful place to be in and very unlike a place that had just seen the deaths of giants, minotaurs and Death Eaters. 

"Where are they?" Ginny was becoming slightly hysterical and Hermione didn't blame her. She was feeling rather close to a nervous breakdown herself. 

"Ron, please. Help me," Hermione croaked out. Her boyfriend nodded solemnly, not bothering to hide the tears that were slowly running down his cheeks. 

"Come on," Dean muttered hoarsely. 

Although the goblins and riders remained behind, those of Hogwarts marched forward in search of the two senior students. Hermione was crying quietly with Ginny clinging to her. In the distance, they saw two sprawled forms close to each other. 

Only those who were close to the two boys approached the bodies, though Hermione was the only one who got really close to Harry and Draco. Ron had broken into sobs at the edge, face buried in his hands and his shoulders shaking violently with grief. Most of them seemed to be crying in one way or another. 

Hermione pressed her palm gently against Draco's cheek while her other hand reached out to clasp on Harry's burnt fingers. _Please wake up! _She repeated the thought in her head. Her fingers skittered to check for their pulses and she cried out in relief when Draco opened one eye. The girl's elation seemed to fade when Draco's eyes remained glazed. 

"Draco?" 

"Yes?" the Slytherin responded, not quite looking in the right direction. Hermione slowly waved her hand over his eyes. Draco seemed to sense the movement but he wasn't able to look directly at her. She blushed when she noticed that he was staring at her chest. "Bloody Gryffindor. Why the hell didn't you warn me that the crystal would explode in light?"

"You didn't ask, Slytherin," Harry said lazily. His glasses were missing and he repeatedly waved his hand above his eyes. "Why on earth did I ever consider letting you stay inside my mind?"

"Because you thought we were going to die, you pumpkin-headed brat," Draco grumbled and struggled to get up into a sitting position. His eyes narrowed and Hermione felt like he was looking at something that she couldn't see. "Damn showy git … what's with the blue mist?"

"Oh, you regained your sight already?" Harry spoke in mock surprise. "I thought it would take longer for your vision to clear up. I guess I've missed my chance of working on you with a blindfold."

"Can you see anything?" Draco asked with a smile, chatting as though he and Harry were the only ones that existed on the grounds.

"Yes, I think. Considering that I'm seeing triple figures of you and five sets of Hermione's eyes, yes, I think." Harry could vaguely recall his glasses vanishing when he had collided with the ground. He'd probably need a new pair to see properly.

Hermione had been quiet during the exchange but something in her exploded and she started to hit the boys roughly. "You idiots!" she wailed, smacking Draco and Harry on their heads. "We thought we'd lost you and here you are, brawling as if you didn't just get rid of Voldemort for us!" Then she sobbed helplessly and pulled the two boys close together. The couple exchanged a look and wisely remained silent. 

Once Hermione had calmed down and was smiling instead of sobbing, Harry searched for something resembling Dumbledore's figure. "Professor? About the sword…"

"It is all right, Harry. It did something worthwhile before it was destroyed."

Other questions were interrupted when they heard a loud shout. "Harry!" That was Sev, sounding strained. The professor emerged and ran toward his godson. "Fools," he choked, collapsing on his knees to embrace his godson and protégé. They had no idea how Remus ended up in the embrace but there he was, being hugged tightly by his colleague. 

One by one, the students sat on the ground, leaning against each other in comfort. They were too tired to move and they looked gratefully at the goblins who informed them that help was on the way. Draco laid down again and Harry snuggled close to him, ignoring the faint gasps coming from some of the girls and boys. Hermione didn't care if they were being too open. They were still alive and it was unlikely that they would run into a Voldemort wanna-be. 

The odd couple had fallen asleep and Hermione too felt like she could just curl up and sleep without caring where she was. She followed her friends' example and tugged Ron down to sleep with her. He did so without complaint. Hermione was drifting on the edge of consciousness when she heard someone ask:

"What of Lucius?" 

It was Dumbledore who replied. "He had been standing very close to the blast when Voldemort was finally destroyed. Three of our members found him nearby."

"He's dead then?"

"He isn't but maybe, that would be a mercy to him."

"Albus, what happened to him?"

"I think he has lost his magic, Minerva."

_That must feel awful… but considering all the things he did when his magic still flowed through him… _Hermione told herself.

"Headmaster," Snape whispered. "The Mark. The Mark on my arm — it is gone."

"And so is _his_ scar…"

**********


	19. New Looks & New Lives

****

~ Chapter 19: New Looks & New Lives ~

Three weeks later…

The Great Hall was brightly illuminated to help the students who were cramming for their class tests. It was after dinner, and Harry and some of his friends had converted one corner of the Gryffindor table into a study corner.

Draco watched his green-eyed lover practicing one of the Transfiguration charms intently. _He looks different without the scar. More youthful too _— _but that's probably because he doesn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore._ The Slytherin had stopped revising his Potions about ten minutes earlier and felt that he deserved a break. He rested by watching his boyfriend practice with the new wand that he had chosen from among the ten that Kingsley had brought with him. Since Harry's first one was completely destroyed with its twin, Dumbledore had sent an emergency message out that a new wand was needed so that Harry would be able to perform in his classes. The new wand was ten-inches long, made of dark ebony with a core of silver metal. The wand reacted with Harry when it was first touched and all who watched concluded that it was the right one for the boy.

Draco sighed and glanced at the watch on the table. It was after ten in the evening but Hogwarts was still full of activity. Dumbledore had extended curfew to midnight after Voldemort's passing and the truce with the Dark Lord's remaining followers. 

The Slytherin felt a pang of regret and guilt when the thought about the Dark Lord's followers surfaced in his mind. He had not known that his mother had died even before Halloween; she had died as a sacrifice to strengthen Voldemort's power. But his father…

Lucius Malfoy had lost all of his magical abilities in the blast created by the pure magical powers of Voldemort, Harry and his son combined. Draco didn't understand why that had happened. _Why do Harry and I still possess the magic? _The boy thought solemnly. _Dumbledore and Harry can't tell for sure if the loss is permanent or just temporary. Could his loss be temporary? The blindness that we suffered only lasted for a few minutes. _It was a miracle that the Ministry and the Confederation of Witches and Wizards had given a full pardon to his father. It meant that his father was allowed to remain in the wizarding world — he would still be able to work. But Lucius was still not forgiven by many including Draco's own friend, Blaise. Mr. Weasley too, had thought that Lucius had gotten off easily.

The silver-eyed boy shook the hair out of his eyes. It had grown rather long and he was due for a haircut. _I'll just wait until someone tells me off. Green-Eyes seems to like running his fingers through it._ As he toyed with his soft, silvery hair, he contemplated about the last time he had visited St. Mungo's. Dumbledore had appointed him to tell Lucius the news that he had been given a full pardon and was not required to serve a sentence in Azkaban (the prison was being reconstructed and new jailers were needed to man the building). The Headmaster was also hoping that father and son would reconcile. Lucius had been mostly silent while the Slytherin told him about the Ministry's decision. Draco would have felt terribly nervous being alone with his father but fortunately Harry had offered to go along. Still, things were far from comfortable after the young Slytherin had told his father. 

*********

**__**

Flashback. St. Mungo's Hospital.

Friday, 8th November.

Draco uncomfortably stood beside the bed with Harry standing close behind him. His father, heavily bandaged across the chest — the wizard had broken his ribs during the skirmish with the minotaurs — and leg, looked at him with an icy expression. 

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Lucius leaned back onto the stack of pillows, one lock of pale blond hair falling over his eye. His father took a deep breath and closed his eyes, probably to contemplate the young Slytherin's words. 

The door opened — it was Tonks, checking up on the two students. Harry gave her a wave and she nodded, before closing the door to ensure their privacy. Draco studied his father. The absence of magic from the older Malfoy disturbed him. He had also seen a certain kind of emptiness in Lucius's eyes and it felt wrong to him too. 

Draco's eyes fell upon Lucius's bandaged wrist and slowly traveled upwards, to where Voldemort had left his mark on his father for more than two decades ago. Like Sev's, the mark on Lucius's arm was completely gone, thus confirming the fact that the Dark Lord had been successfully destroyed. No amount of resurrection would be able to bring the wizard back.

"I suppose you must be happy," Lucius said quietly, jolting Draco out of his musings. 

"Happy?" Draco asked, feeling a little confused.

"That the magic has left me," his father said coolly. 

Draco was at a loss for words. He couldn't express how he felt, just that it was wrong. Death was probably a better option to the older man than losing what had always been a part of him in a second. Lucius stared at him for a moment before his icy gaze settled on Draco's lover. 

"What exactly is your relationship with my son?" Lucius asked him impassively after a minute of studying the emerald-eyed Gryffindor.

**_"Uh … Drake?" _**Harry's tone was slightly uneasy.

**_"I don't know …" _**Draco's mouth became dry. He opened his mouth to answer but no voice emerged. 

"I'm — We're —" Harry too had lost his eloquence.

"Harry is my lover … father," Draco finally managed to reply. He was uncertain if he had answered to spite his father or to gain acknowledgment. 

One eyebrow arched; Lucius was skeptical at the confession. "I thought Severus tried to seduce you." The wizard directed the question at Harry.

"What?" The boy's face took on a closed expression. 

"He didn't?" 

"Sev is my godfather. He wouldn't have done that to me. Besides, he had already set his eyes on someone else long before," Harry answered dryly.

Lucius chuckled, surprising both boys. "Yes, the werewolf … I heard about that." 

"How?" 

"The walls have portraits, Mister Potter. And portraits gossip. Someone had been ranting about the werewolf being taken by someone and a male at that," Lucius said flippantly but his eyes were alight with amusement.

**_"Tonks ranted?" _**Harry voiced his question silently and Draco shrugged. 

"Draco," Lucius called him and the young Slytherin stepped forward. "Take this key."

The boy stared at the small golden key his father held in his right hand. "Take it. Your vault number is 643."

"My vault?" Draco squeaked. 

"Yes, _your_ vault, you idiot. Severus made me open up a vault for you when you were young," Lucius said in a slightly scornful tone. 

**_"And he didn't tell me!" _**Draco was offended. 

**_"I think with good reason, Drake. If you knew you had money, you'd probably have spent it to the last Knut in your anger," _**Harry said good-naturedly.

"That man's foresight was too accurate," Lucius muttered. "The Ministry and the Finance department will probably raid the mansion more thoroughly and probably tell the goblins to open up my vault too."

"Then what about you? Won't they confiscate the money?" Draco asked worriedly. 

"Well, thanks to Severus I too had taken up another vault under a different name and appearance," his father answered dreamily. "He might regret that he had helped me at all, considering that I tried several times to kill Lupin. But how I am going to go back into that persona I will never know." His father sounded defeated and sat slumped on the bed. 

**********

**__**

Present.

**_"Drake? Are you all right?" _**Harry asked with a worried expression. 

**_"What? Yeah, I'm fine … just lost in my thoughts," _**Draco answered sheepishly. 

"Where the hell have you been?" Hermione asked accusingly. "We've been calling your name for the last ten minutes before Harry finally got a response from you. If you have a problem, share it. Don't mope about on your own." 

**_"In other words, what she is really trying to say is, if you're troubled and not intending to share it with anyone, conceal it," _**Harry told him slyly. 

**_"All right, all right. You both win," _**Draco said with a smile.

"Hello!" Ginny greeted them cheerfully, carrying a notepad in one hand before sitting down beside the Slytherin. "It seems that the Hufflepuffs knew that the two of you are _together_. Some even asked me outright if I feel sick about it."

"Hah! Knowing you, yes — you feel sick, but entirely in a different manner," Draco teased her and Harry nodded his agreement.

"You three are sick," Ron responded without looking up from memorizing the list of Transfiguration charms that Hermione had helped him with.

"We're not!" the accused three retorted loudly.

"More rumors about Remus and Sev are running about too. Students are getting more observant these days," Ginny added. "Anyway, I hope those two will confirm it by dancing during the Yule Ball this year."

Although it had already been decided earlier that they would be celebrating the Yule Ball that year — because it was Harry's last year in Hogwarts — Dumbledore had decided to exploit the occasion to celebrate a Voldemort-Free world. The staff members obliged the old wizard without any complaints.

"Do you think Sev would dare to do that?" Hermione asked Harry. The boy shrugged in reply.

Suddenly there were several exclamations coming from a group of Ravenclaw girls.

"Oh my god!"

"Look at him! He's so gorgeous!"

"Who could he be?"

"Bill Weasley? I heard that he's a charming bloke. He works in Gringotts," one girl gushed.

"Bill Weasley?" I don't think so. All Weasleys have red hair — this guy has got the blackest hair I've ever seen!"

"Like Professor Snape?" one girl queried.

"Eeeew … not him! His hair is greasy — not glossy!" 

"Oh Merlin! Look at that chin ... and those eyes …" the voice trailed off.

"Who are those girls ogling?" Ron asked in amusement. 

"They're right. He _is _gorgeous," Hermione answered in a preoccupied manner. "Don't you think so, Ginny?"

All of them turned to watch a stranger in dark blue robes talking seriously to Dumbledore. It was also the first time Harry had ever felt attracted to another man besides Draco. He knew his expression was getting dreamier with every second that passed. Harry flushed slightly when the man in blue robes turned and looked in his direction. Draco too felt immensely attracted to the stranger but he felt a little angry when Harry seemed just as enthralled. A surge of intense jealousy made the Slytherin study his 'opponent' more carefully. A few minutes later, the blonde was smacking his head with his notebook repeatedly. 

"Have you gone mental?" Ron asked.

"I _am_ mental for thinking that guy is attractive," Draco answered as he continued to hit himself like a repenting house-elf. The rest took a good look at their friend and saw that his lips were rather pale, as if he was feeling ill. 

**_"Harry, take another look," _**Draco instructed firmly and the Gryffindor did. 

"Bloody Hell!" Harry finally yelped and snatched Draco's book away to hit himself. "I don't believe it! I was _not_ attracted to _him_!!!" he raved. During the Gryffindor's rants, the stranger had been walking toward them and a knowing smile was plastered on his face. 

The stranger finally stopped and smiled warmly at Hermione and Ginny. He was tall, with a slight build. His robes looked expensive and under his robes, he wore a simple black turtleneck that clung to his chest in a way that was appealing. He was muscular too; he was showing off his abdominal muscles with that tight fitting shirt. He was fair-skinned and rakishly handsome, with thick black hair — but neat — that Harry wished he possessed. He had a sharp nose and a stubborn chin, high cheekbones and very neat eyebrows. But it was his eyes that were the most special. They were a stark blue and when the stranger tilted his head at an angle, they had the color of the most precious amethyst. What surprised Harry the most was that the man had sword-shaped earrings in both ears.

"Draco," the man spoke in a clear baritone that hinted that he had musical talent in him. "I assume that you approve of my looks?" 

"Harry is mine so stay away from him," was the response from the Slytherin.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," the man answered with a smile. "I'll be leaving for Japan soon."

"What? You aren't going to stay?" Draco looked stricken.

"You have your own life now and I trust your lover will ensure that you don't spend the money in one go," the stranger said solemnly.

"But … why are you going to Japan? Are you fully recovered? Your powers have returned?" Draco asked.

"Yes to the last two questions. Although I have regained the magic, it isn't as strong as what it had been before. But it's better than being a Squib. Now … why I'm going to Japan? No reason at all. I might take up drawing," the man answered distractedly. 

"You're really serious?" 

"Yes, Draco. Don't worry, I'll write to you. Just make sure you inform me of your new address. Bye now," the stranger smiled at all of them and walked off, nodding to Dumbledore along the way.

"Harry, who is that wizard?" Hermione asked suspiciously. She thought she knew who it was that had just strolled over and conversed with them but she was afraid to guess. 

"Who did you think it was?" Harry asked her back. 

"You mean … that's _him_?!" Hermione looked appalled. She couldn't begin to understand how such a menacing character had suddenly become a good-looking and enthusiastic bloke.

Harry and Draco nodded glumly.

"Oh my god." Hermione leaned back, looking stunned.

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Ron asked, looking quite annoyed that they knew things that he didn't.

"Never mind," the three answered.

"But —"

"Never mind!"

Ron sulked and the group continued to study. Ginny wasn't; instead she was sketching the wizard that had visited them suddenly. 

"Merlin! That guy was so cute!" The girl sighed and Draco looked ill again. "What was his name?" 

**_"Make something up!" _**Harry pleaded.

Draco managed to give something resembling a shrug and answered dispassionately, "Luke. We got to know each other in St. Mungo's. We thought he was definitely ugly since he was wrapped up in bandages. Burns or something like that." Ginny didn't reply when Remus suddenly sat down beside Harry, looking quite shocked.

"Remus?" Harry asked softly, glad that the group had something else to worry about. "What happened?"

"Harry, he — Sev, he …" Remus's eyes looked a little wild. 

"What? What did Sev do?" Harry inquired, wincing when his tone ended up sharper than he had intended it to be.

"Big question…" 

"Big question?" Ron repeated stupidly. Draco too felt unenlightened. 

"He popped the 'Big Question'?" Hermione exclaimed, and at the professor's nod, she grinned widely.

"'Mione, what's a 'Big Question'?" Ron pestered.

"It means … Sev proposed," Hermione whispered gleefully.

"He did?" Harry was surprised and pleased at the same time. "Did you accept?" 

Remus nodded dumbly. 

"Then why are you looking so glum? Aren't you happy?"

"I thought …"

"Pah! You should know better, Moony," Harry answered. "You're his lifemate. Of course he would ask." 

"When's the wedding?" Draco inquired, feeling excited too.

"This Christmas," Remus said in a hushed tone. "Just before the Yule Ball."

"Are we invited?" Ginny asked him with a cute puppy dog-eyed expression.

"Yes, you are," Remus replied. "I don't think Molly would be pleased if we did it secretly and popped by one day telling her that we're married."

"Where?" Hermione interrupted. "In Hogwarts?"

"Yes. Dumbledore's the official and McGonagall said she would 'take care' of things."

"Ooops, then I think you better say that you and your partner will be the ones making all the arrangements," Ron inserted. "I wouldn't want to see those two arguing."

"It's a small ceremony. Nothing flashy," Remus said, looking at the table shyly. "Considering that a lot of students will be around, I don't think Sev would like them to sniff out the ritual."

"Small or big, it will be special, Remus," Harry said, wrapping his arm about the professor's shoulder.

"Yes, it will." Hermione nodded. "These kinds of things usually end up like that."

"Who wants to go and tease Sev with me?" Harry asked slyly as he put his wand away. 

"I'm in!" Ginny cheered.

"Blame yourself if he decides to hex you," Ron yelled at her as she, Harry and Draco rushed off to the dungeons below.

**********

****

The Big Day.

"Stay still, Harry," Bill Weasley spoke firmly.

"Okay," Harry muttered as he watched the older boy carefully trim his fringe. 

"Done!" Bill finally exclaimed and smiled brightly at his customer.

"Good job bro!" Ginny clapped her hands in approval. "Mum wouldn't approve but listening to the twins this time has its merits. It's great that you had enough time to grow your hair. You look dashing!" The girl bent down to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Well, I'm going off to see Remus and make sure he doesn't eat too much chocolate!"

"Wait! Who's with Sev?" Harry shouted after her.

"Hermione and Madam Hooch!" she answered. Other sounds were abruptly cut off when the door closed.

"Is he ready yet?" Draco complained as he studied himself. 

"Yup! You can inspect him now," Bill said, making a face at the impatient Slytherin.

Harry readjusted his clasp and the cloak that hung about his shoulders. Then he looked nervously at his boyfriend. **_"So … what do you think?"_** Harry felt a little strange wearing Remus's gift: the black and silver sorcerer's robes he had gotten from the professor on his birthday. His outfit matched his silver glasses well and he preened a little at the admiration he was getting from the Slytherin.

**_"You look yummy. Now I fear that you might get stolen by the girls who wish to dance with you," _**Draco said in mock solemnity. He was wearing a cerulean sorcerer's robe with vine designs all over it and Harry thought the Slytherin looked exquisite as well. 

**_"Girls? Not boys?"_**

"If any boys dare try to cut in on our dance, I'll hex them. But if it's Sev or Remus ... I won't have any objections." Draco came up to him and rearranged part of Harry's fringe to his liking. "I'll say it again, Green-Eyes: you look yummy."

"Don't start drooling," Fred admonished. "You can drool all over him later, after the ball."

There was a knock on the door. "Are you boys done?" It was Mrs. Weasley and she looked very energetic. 

"Yes!" the boys in the room answered in unison.

"Good! Let's go down now. Oh, don't forget the rings!"

"Oh shoot! Where did I place them?" Harry swore.

"The table," Bill replied and the two younger boys rushed to the table.

"Drake, you're holding on to Remus's ring!"

"Oops, give me the ring that has Severus's name on it then."

The group then swiftly made their way down to one of the dungeons that had been selected for the ritual.

**********

The soon-to-be-wedded couple weren't yet there when Harry and the rest of the group arrived. The emerald-eyed boy looked around and saw Hermione and Ron talking excitedly with Ginny and Madam Hooch.

"Harry! Can we have a quick look at the rings?" Hermione pleaded.

"Sure," he smiled and he and Draco presented the wedding bands. 

"Make sure you don't drop them," the Slytherin mumbled.

"We won't," Hermione answered with a glare.

Professor Vector, who had been waiting in one corner of the room with a seated Professor Trelawney, walked slowly up to them. Madam Hooch looked at her colleague inquiringly. "I used to wonder about the banter between the two of them during meals," Vector said, her eyes bright with amusement. "I didn't expect anything between them." She smiled. "But now I'm here, with Minerva being the planner. I can't believe that the two are getting _married_."

"Me neither," Hooch agreed.

"This is the ring that Remus is supposed to be wearing," the Flying instructor informed her and handed the ring carefully over to Vector.

"Very simple bands but neither man languishes in ostentatious things," Vector commented.

"Looks can be deceiving — look at the engravings on the inner side," Hooch said slyly.

Professor Vector rolled the slim, plain white gold ring between her fingers to read the words. "Severus Snape …" She raised her eyebrows at the next set of engravings. "You're Mine." Harry and Draco snickered.

"Fancy being the one in control, doesn't he?" Hooch smiled crookedly and the boys laughed.

"What about Severus's?" Vector inquired. She was grinning when Hermione handed her the ring's twin. "Remus Lupin: Always yours. Typically romantic." She giggled.

"Here be the grooms!" the twins yelled out enthusiastically as Remus and Sev came into the room, with Flitwick and Dumbledore close behind them.

Harry smiled brightly at his scowling godfather — the Potions Master was uncharacteristically nervous. At least the wizard wasn't the only one getting edgy; Remus was trembling slightly but he managed to give a faint smile in the students' direction. The couple stood at the positions that Trelawney had assigned to them. Sev and Remus stood face to face and Sev's eyes softened just a little. 

Harry came to stand on one side of Remus while Sirius — the latter was requested to be a witness — stood on the other side. Draco and Flitwick mirrored their exact positions. Dumbledore and McGonagall stood roughly in between while the rest fell into the points of a hexagram. The Headmaster looked inquiringly at Trelawney and she nodded haughtily.

The ritual of handfasting began silently. No words were necessary; emotion was the only thing needed. And since it was a bonding of two male wizards, Harry, Dumbledore and Draco had twisted the proceedings to fit the nature of the bonding. Orbs of misty light began to emerge, throwing back the shadows, illuminating the dungeon and softening the harsh surroundings. 

Sev had been holding both of Remus's hands and staring deeply into the light brown eyes. He stepped closer to the frail looking wizard and began kissing the palms gently. Remus repeated the action and the two stepped back, still lost in each other's eyes. That act symbolized their respect for each other and the willingness to compromise. Then it was the rings, to make it known to people that they had been claimed. 

Again, Sev reached for Remus's hands and clasped them lovingly. Plain red and green ribbons magically conjured by Dumbledore and McGonagall wrapped about the couple's hands, thereby uniting their life, fate and souls together. Remus and Sev stared at their bound hands anxiously but fortunately the ribbons remained laced.

Harry caught his boyfriend's eyes and winked. **_"Good omen. The ribbons held for far longer than I had expected them to."_**

"Yeah," the Slytherin answered happily.

_"Well,"_ a hollow voice emerged from the group. It was Sirius and he was looking at the now-married couple oddly. _"What in hell are you waiting for? Seal your oaths."_

Remus blushed and stammered something while Sev glared at the wraith. Sirius somehow managed to look arrogant in his ghostly form and he was grinning. Harry had never felt happier in his life. 

Everyone waited somewhat impatiently for the married couple to do the last rite. When the two kissed shyly in front of sixteen other people, the students erupted in catcalls and loud cheers.

**********

****

Outside in the corridor.

Ellie and her girls were on their way to the Great Hall when they passed the dungeon room. "Hey, did someone forget to invite us?" she asked. 

"I don't know," one of her friends replied with a frown. 

"Do you want to check?"

"Let's not. Come on, I've kept Van waiting for too long — let's go before he decides to partner someone else."

"Too bad Draco's taken," a girl with a neat bun said wistfully.

"Say's who?" Ellie asked, surprised. "He isn't going out with Pansy!"

"Ellie, haven't you paid attention during meals? He's been taken by a Gryffindor!"

"Hermione? You're joking!"

"Oh, you're dense! _Harry_, witch. Draco's going out with Harry. They slept together in the forest!"

"You're joking," she said flatly.

"Let's see who is Draco's partner later," another girl suggested as they ascended the staircase.

"Let's bet on it and the loser has to be the other's personal slave for three weeks."

"Fine. I'll bet that Draco's partner is **not** Harry," Ellie said.

"Are you sure you won't regret it?" her friend asked slyly.

"Of course not! I absolutely don't think Harry could be gay!" Ellie said with determination. "Just because he associates with Snape and Lupin doesn't mean he is!"

"What do you mean by Snape and Lupin?"

"Really Vicky. You should take midnight trips with Walter more often. Then you will understand," Ellie triumphed. 

"Then I'll make another bet. Snape and Lupin aren't _gay_ and absolutely _not_ a couple," Vicky said, shuddering at the thought.

"Deal?" 

"Deal."

"Witnessed!" 

*********

****

In the Hall. Supper.

For the first time in what felt like a long time to Draco, the Slytherin sat with his housemates. He picked up the menu and leafed through the pages in a preoccupied manner.

"Your boyfriend looks quite fine today," Blaise whispered.

"Hey, eyes off. He's mine," Draco glowered at his friend.

"You're much more blunt than you used to be," the dark-haired Slytherin observed. "Try not to be influenced by him so much." The pale-haired Slytherin only gave a noncommittal response. 

"So how did the ceremony go?" 

"What? Oh — that. It went too well. Sev's left hand is still bound to Remus's right. I don't think they'll come anytime soon." Draco looked at their empty seats and then the doors. Fred and George suddenly appeared, carelessly shouldering the two Slytherins seated across them.

"There's a bet going around about whether Remus and Sev will attend the Yule Ball. Joining?"

"Can I skip that?" Draco asked thoughtfully.

"Come on, lad. Where's your sense of adventure?" George pouted. 

"Okay. Four Sickles. They will come, hand-in-hand," the Slytherin said impulsively.

"Are you sure?" Fred asked, holding out his palm for the money. 

"Not now lout. Do I look like the kind who brings money to a school function?" Draco glared and the twins backed off. 

"You're on the list laddie!" The twins chorused as they went back to join the Gryffindors.

*********

Trelawney had pulled them aside to give them a free scrying, ignoring Sev's remarks that he would rather not know their future. She told them that she had seen two young children that they cared for and cherished — identical looking twins but of different sexes. She told them that they 'looked' complete when Draco and Harry joined them. 

"What do you think of the reading?" Remus asked his husband. They were just leaving Sev's chambers and had managed to remove some of the ribbons. Two of their hands were still stuck together though — not that he minded.

"I am not sure," Sev admitted, looking at him sideways.

"But … do you think we'll … have a family?" the brown-eyed professor asked hopefully.

"Perhaps," Sev replied softly kissing the hand that held his fondly.

"One other thing — are you sure about this?" Remus stopped in his tracks to look up at his slightly taller partner. "I mean … people are going to talk …"

"Do you care, lover?" Sev closed in on him and backed him against a wall.

"Not particularly," he squeaked out.

"Then, we'll go. All right?" Black eyes stared penetratingly at him.

"Yes." Remus finally nodded and led the way.

**********

****

In the Hall. 

__

The Weird Sisters were playing a slow song and some students, to their amazement — and horror — saw Harry carefully move around the crowd to reach his ex-nemesis. Ellie's eyes bulged, her mouth working but no voice emerging. 

**_"How are you feeling?" _**Harry asked gently. His fingers relished feeling Draco's waist and he couldn't help but feel slightly possessive about it.

**_"Dizzy, excited, thrilled _**—**_ I don't know!" _**The Slytherin was feeling a little breathless as Harry showed off his dancing skills. The Gryffindor was quite different from the awkward boy who had danced with Parvati at a Yule Ball three years earlier.

**_"Merlin, it really feels good dancing with you."_** Harry took an opportunity to kiss his forehead. **_"Did you accept the twins' bet by the way?"_**

**_"About Sev and Remus? Yes, I did."_** Draco looked at him inquisitively. 

**_"Do you think they will come?"_** Harry asked a little nervously.

**_"Green-Eyes, how much did you bet?" _**his Slytherin partner asked shrewdly.

**_"Don't scream. Twenty Galleons."_**

"Are you nuts?!" Draco's mouth hung open in shock.

**_"Do you think they will appear?"_ **Harry repeated his question.

His boyfriend's eyes widened suddenly and the Slytherin pointed his chin at something. 

"I don't believe it!" Dean who was passing the boy couple swore while his dancing partner and girlfriend smirked.

**_"Didn't know that they were planning on a grand entrance," _**Draco said with a small smile. A group of girls gaped when they saw the professors' ribbon tied hands.

**_"Do you want to know who's dominant?" _**Harry asked suddenly.

**_"How can you tell?" _**Draco was curious and looked at the newlyweds.

**_"It might not be accurate but I have the distinct feeling that the one who is mostly dominant is the one whose palm faces inward. It's Remus who is dominant."_ **Harry's eyes twinkled mischievously, ignoring the exclamations rushing through the Hall like wildfire. 

**_"Maybe, but I'm willing to bet on Sev being the most dominant in bed," _**Draco snickered as he watched Remus leading Sev to the middle of the dance floor. Enthusiastic applauding rang clear and Ginny whistled loudly.

Harry steered Draco closer to the spot where his godfather was dancing. **_"And how can you tell?"_**

"I'm using us as an example. When I hold your hand, it's mine that's leading yours but you're more provocative in bed," the Slytherin replied, lips quivering with mirth. Harry just smiled broadly.

"Enjoying yourself?" Harry asked his godfather.

"I am," the Potions Master replied, smiling despite himself.

"Dance all you want. The twins are going to take some pictures anyway."

"Remus, Sev and you two. Let's take a formal picture. We have a bit of film left," Fred interrupted the couples.

**********

The twins took several pictures of Sev and Remus together, making them pose in a way that showed off their ribbon-laced hands. Then came the family picture of Harry, Draco, Sev and Remus. Fred and George took several shots before letting everyone else join in. Then it was time to photograph the couples while they were dancing, occasionally irritating other dancing couples.

The dancing continued for most of the night and the two married professors took the opportunity to unwind. Harry and Draco had stopped dancing and were watching the Gryffindor's godfather and Remus from the sidelines with a very flushed-looking Hermione.

"It will be your turn soon," the girl suddenly piped up.

"Ours?" Draco scoffed. "I doubt your partner will wait that long."

"Drake's right. I think the both of you will be the first to tie the knot among us," Harry agreed, chuckling when Ron turned bright red. The Weasley was grinning rather sheepishly.

"What?" Hermione stared at her boyfriend.

"Nothing 'Mione." The stupid expression was still on the boy's face when Harry excused himself and pulled his lover along. They ignored the looks and whispers as they went out of the Hall. 

**_"It's been a great day," _**Harry informed his boyfriend as they walked quietly to their room.

**_"It has. But now we have to make it a great night as well," _**Draco said impishly. 

**_"You think?" _**Harry opened the door and went in.

Draco absently took his boots off and laid himself down on the bed, frowning a little at the bright candle flames before distinguishing all of them. Harry swallowed his protest — he couldn't really see what he was doing. His boyfriend created those mystical lights once more and the room took on an entirely different mood. It was perfect for a long night of intimacy.

He saw the Slytherin hold out his arms and Harry immediately went to him. The simple gesture was stronger than a magnet and Harry reveled in the warmth of his partner. Before he knew it, he was kissing Draco on the lips while his hands roamed freely all about the slender form beneath him. Fingers came up to trace the blonde's face and the Gryffindor trailed one finger along the scar that marred the Slytherin's right cheek. He heard his boyfriend give a sigh of contentment when Harry pulled back to remove the silver clasp holding the cerulean cloak together.

"Do you really want me to be dominant in bed?" Harry asked softly as he stared deeply into a pair of lust-glazed gray eyes.

"Blindfold me, Green-Eyes," the Slytherin said in a husky tone. That simply heightened the Gryffindor's own desire but he forced himself to be patient.

"You're naughty," Harry said, bending down to lick Draco's chin. 

"No — not naughty," Draco gasped when Harry ground his hips provocatively against the Slytherin's. "Just —" The pale-haired boy purred. "— Just plain horny."

"I think I like it…" Harry was slowly removing Draco's clothing.

"I'm addicted to it." Draco growled softly and ran his hands along the Gryffindor's spine.

"Do you want me to —" Harry was quickly interrupted by a wild-looking Draco.

"Yes," the boy hissed. "I want you inside me…"

"But I want you too…" Harry looked a little disappointed.

**_"Bugger it. We'll take turns." _**Draco grinned triumphantly when Harry yowled suddenly. 

**_"Drake _**—**_ stop!"_** Harry panted but his boyfriend just ignored him. In the blink of an eye, Harry was completely exposed, and so was Draco.

**_"Please …" _**Draco spoke in a coaxing manner. The Slytherin struggled a little until Harry was completely off him and the latter was in a sitting position. One hand came to fist at the silvery-blonde hair as Draco grinned mischievously. **_"I want to do this…"_** The Slytherin carefully lowered his head and Harry squeezed his eyes shut, shaking violently as wet heat enveloped him.

**********

****

Two years later… In an orphanage run by the magical community.

Harry and Draco swiftly went into the waiting room. Remus was sitting down, fingers wrapped tightly on a coffee mug while Sev paced around the room, scowling darkly. The two young wizards hugged the adults in turn and sat beside the tired-looking Defence professor. 

"How was work?" Remus asked the two married youngsters. He arched an eyebrow when Harry snorted derisively and Draco rolled his eyes upwards in sarcasm. The two young wizards were Aurors-in-training _and _they had gotten married just two days before Ron and Hermione did, three months earlier.

"Another cult trying to resurrect Voldemort," Draco answered. "Powerful wizards, I might add."

"Death-Eaters?" 

Harry shrugged. "We can't tell for sure."

Dumbledore came in and looked sympathetically at Sev. "Do stop pacing, Severus."

McGonagall appeared by the Headmaster's side. "Congratulations, you two. You got them." The witch smiled faintly.

"We did?" Sev looked at her stupidly. The Headmaster nodded and stepped aside to let two young children in.

**_"They're the Savvils, aren't they?" _**Harry asked his husband and Draco nodded solemnly.

The youngsters could've been identical twins: one was a girl and the other was a boy. 

"This is Anna and this is her brother, John," Dumbledore introduced them to Harry and Draco.

**_"John? Isn't that Remus's middle name?"_ **Draco looked at the emerald-eyed wizard beside him.

**_"It is," _**Harry nodded in reply while smiling at his two foster siblings.

Anna was looking at Sev seriously; it was a little unnerving since she had just turned five. "Don't we have a mother?"

Sev and Remus looked at each other but didn't answer their little adopted daughter. The silence stretched until the older twin — John — broke it.

"Are you married?" the young boy asked curiously, eyeing the identical white gold bands on Remus and Sev's fingers.

"Yes, we are," Remus answered, getting up from his seat.

"Oh," John replied then fell silent. "Anna, we have two fathers."

"Two? No Mummy?" The girl's eyes were watering and Remus quickly knelt before her. He carefully clasped the small face with his palms and gently wiped the tears away. Their eyes locked for a minute and finally, Anna smiled, one hand reaching up to curl around one of Remus's fingers. She looked up at Sev and one arm lifted, as if she wanted to touch her other father too.

The Potions Master quickly came to her and she traced Sev's sharp cheekbone gently. It might have been a trick of the sunlight filtering through the windows but Harry thought Anna's face softened a bit more when she touched his godfather. "Father," she addressed Sev clearly. John imitated her. "Daddy," she then addressed Remus.

"Daddy," John chorused. The boy smiled happily when Remus's face lit up with happiness.

"Father, who are they? I know that is Grandpa, and that is Grandma." McGonagall blushed a little but young Anna didn't notice.

"This is Harry," Sev responded. "He is my son."

"Your real son, or is he just like us?" John asked curiously.

**_"Don't you think they're extremely cautious for their age?" _**Draco gave a sidelong glance at his husband.

**_"They're definitely different."_**

"No — just like you," Remus answered softly.

"Oh … then the other one too?"

"No, that is Harry's husband, Draco."

Poor Anna looked confused and her face grew anxious. 

"Anna? Is something wrong?"

"Harry is your son too, which means he is my older brother," Anna spoke slowly.

"Mine too!" John insisted. 

"But what about Draco? What do we call him?" Anna looked at her fathers anxiously.

"I think you can just call me Draco," the silver-eyed wizard said lightly. "When you grow up, we can go into the more complex details."

"Okay! Can we go home now?" Anna requested.

"It's a rather big home, Anna, John," Remus said happily.

"Really? How big?" the twins asked excitedly.

"Father and Daddy are teachers, so you'll have to share us with the students in the place where we teach, I'm afraid." Remus looked apologetically at his two children.

"Do we get to study too?" the twins asked again.

"No, not yet," it was Dumbledore who answered. "But you can watch."

The twins squealed happily and ran to hug the old wizard's legs. 

"How nice," McGonagall mumbled softly. "They think of you as their grandfather." Dumbledore beamed happily.

**********

Lucius watched the group of eight from a nearby magical bookstore. He noticed that his son looked happy and he smiled. _So Severus has adopted children. Never thought that he would have the craving to be a father._

"Wintermoon!" a witch in black shouted his name, the name which his lover had given him. He watched with amusement as she tried to kiss him but failed. She scowled. Even though she was standing up on her toes, she wasn't quite able to reach him. "Damn it!"

Lucius laughed and bent his head to kiss her instead. She glowed happily and linked her arm in his. "So did you see your son?" she inquired. 

Lucius fondly pulled on her curly black hair and nodded his head. He too, felt happier than he had been when he was a Death Eater and married to Narcissa. He had escaped life imprisonment and was also allowed to live as a free wizard, but memories of his Master still haunted him, especially in his dreams. That had all stopped when he met the Asian witch — the one who was walking with him. Her name was Jade Avalon and they had met each other while he was on vacation in Singapore. It was a purely Muggle country since those with magical abilities had emigrated to places that offered teaching. Jade was a Mudblood, and she had been visiting her hometown. He thought about his magical abilities again. _It is just as well that I no longer have the capacity to use the Unforgivable Curses. _No one knew the exact reason why his powers had decreased but Sev might have thought about it. It was a side-effect of changing into another personality. He had to be 'nicer' and less inclined to Dark Magic so that the change would become permanent. He desperately wanted it to be that way.

"Did you talk to him?" Her voice penetrated his mind and he sheepishly shook his head. She smiled mischievously. "Afraid to tell him about me?"

"I didn't say that!" he protested.

"Okay … I'll just wait but I'll start pestering if we're bonded." 

"Impudent little witch," Lucius said disapprovingly.

"Icy king," she retorted and stuck out her tongue.

"Do that again and I'll carry you on my shoulder and go back to Hogsmeade," he threatened.

"You wouldn't dare try Apparating like that." She looked at him challengingly.

"You think?"

Several minutes later, witches and wizards turned toward a woman shouting madly. "Damn you, you rake! Put me down!" Jade was blushing furiously, not because her stomach was resting on Lucius's shoulder but more because his hands were on her bottom. "Merlin! I swear —" Lucius and his lover disappeared and appeared in the busy streets of Hogsmeade.

"Please! Put me down!" Jade wailed helplessly, passing a group of Hogwarts' students and a group of Ministry officials.

**********

Hermione stared at the figures numbly. _Does Draco know about this? _Ron, too was staring at the odd couple as the wizard carried his girlfriend into the Hog's Head.

"Isn't that the guy we saw in Hogwarts during our seventh year?"

"That's the third time I saw him carrying the girl in this week," a witch said to her friends. She sounded envious. 

"Lucky witch. He's got the looks and probably money as well," another added.

"Is that girl his girlfriend or something?"

"Fiancee, more likely."

Hermione pulled her husband away from the chatter. "Do you know where Harry and Draco would be today?"

"Hogwarts probably. Remus and Sev will probably take their adopted children there — if their application and interviews are a success," Ron said thoughtfully.

Hermione smacked her forehead with her palm. "I had forgotten about that! Ron, do you think —"

"We're near, so might as well."

**********

****

In the Great Hall.

Hermione had pulled Draco off to a corner while she watched Anna and John admiring the talking Sorting Hat. She was about to speak when Anna exclaimed gleefully and ran up to Remus.

"Father is a wizard! The Hat is magical!"

"Oi. What's up?" Draco called to get her attention.

"Have you heard from your father lately?" she asked, looking on patiently.

"Yes — I received an owl from him two days ago. Why do you ask?" Draco tilted his head and looked at her speculatively.

"Well … I don't mean to pry but I — I saw your father in Hogsmeade today." Hermione searched his face carefully. 

"Yes, he told me. I asked Harry if I could visit him today and since he's okay with it …"

"Then you knew that your father is with _someone_?" 

Draco looked blankly at her. "He has … someone?"

Hermione nodded her head. "It's a woman."

"Bloody hell! He didn't say anything about getting me a new mother!" Draco exclaimed then rushed off.

"Hey Drake! Where are you going?" Harry yelled from across the Hall.

**_"I'm going to send a note to my father! I'll be in the Owlery!" _**Draco answered via the telepathic mode.

**********

Jade was curled against Lucius's side when Helios appeared by the window with a parchment note jammed in his beak. Since her lover was napping she got up quietly from the bed and cautiously took the parchment. When she flipped it over, she read the words silently:

OLD MAN! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?!!!

Draco.

She giggled and carefully shook Lucius awake. 

"What are you doing? Get back in here," Lucius mumbled sleepily.

"Lucius," she called softly. She always called him by his birth name when they were alone together. "You've had an owl."

"I'll look at it later. Come back to bed."

"Dearest, it's from Draco," Jade said gently and Lucius jolted out of the bed. She felt her cheeks reddening since Lucius acted like he wasn't actually unclothed. 

"Bloody hell," was Lucius's only response.

**********

****

Firesword:

I know what you must be thinking right now… why did I let Lucius off that easily? For some reason after writing two HP novel-length fics (Transcendence included), I just don't have the heart to make Lucius die again. Funny how you can get fond of the characters once you attempt to write something about their life. Chapter 20, which is the last chapter of Transcendence is what the whole fic is about (at least HH and I think so). Can't really say much about it but I hope you guys will like it. I'm feeling very nice but sad at the same time so that is why I posted the last chapter together.


	20. Family

****

~ Chapter 20: Family ~

Monday, 30th May 2005. Hogwarts.

Harry looked at his fourth-year students with a mixture of happiness and pride. _Accepting the position was one of the best decisions I have ever made._ He smiled, surprising a Ravenclaw who had glanced up at him while taking a break from her essay writing. The bell rang and the students hurriedly packed their things. 

"Don't forget your assignment guys. It's to be handed in on Monday, all right?"

"We heard you, Professor Potter? Malfoy? Whatever!" one student said merrily.

Harry chuckled and cleared his desk. _Two years of being an Assistant professor and they still haven't gotten used to my name. _He negligently waved his wand at the board and set the wards before locking the classroom. He stepped out into the corridor and walked behind a group of his students.

"He and the Assistant Potions Master should settle on one name. It's always confusing trying to figure out which name goes first when you try to greet them," one girl muttered darkly to her girlfriends. 

"Just call him or his husband Professor Malfoy-Potter," her friend suggested.

"That is why I said it's troublesome."

"Then just stick to 'Professor'." One of the girls rolled her eyes sarcastically and a playful argument erupted within the group. 

Harry smiled and turned left to go down to the kitchen. A bunch of students greeted him and he gave them an amiable nod before continuing on his way. He let his feet carry him toward his destination as he thought about his plans for the night. He wouldn't have heard the Hufflepuffs' conversation if they had been talking in a less exuberant manner, but as it was, the girls were gushing and commenting rather loudly.

"He came again today!" 

_That's Andrea Harper, _Harry reminded himself. Sometimes, he wondered how McGonagall remembered all the students' names, right down to the first-years. 

"Blessed Merlin! I wish I was older!" A girl sighed plaintively.

"Get over it, Pauline. He's married."

"Well, that doesn't mean he'll _stay_ married," Pauline told the girl philosophically. Harry couldn't quite remember her last name but it sounded like Sinclair.

"You shouldn't wish ill of the couple, you know," Andrea informed her girlfriend with a disapproving tone. "If you do bad things to people, you might end up experiencing bad things too."

"But that didn't happen to Lucius Malfoy, did it? He and the rest got away without even paying _anything_," Pauline retorted. 

"Cool your heads," another girl said and she deliberately steered the topic away from Death Eaters. "I heard the professors' children call him 'Uncle Wintermoon'."

"Really? Wintermoon? What kind of name is that?" Andrea asked, wearing an amused expression.

"What kind of nickname is 'Andrew'?"

Harry watched as the girls proceeded on toward a corridor that would lead to the Hufflepuff common room. _So … Lucius is here. Wait _—_ why am I surprised? He told Draco he'd be visiting._

**_"Teaching couldn't have been so stressful that you forgot the visit?"_**

Harry turned and there Draco stood, leaning against the wall and appraising him intently. Harry couldn't help it; he grinned and his husband strolled forward. The pale-haired wizard looked around to see if there were any passing students. Since there were none, he gave his raven-haired husband a quick peck on the cheek.

**_"How was it?" _**Harry asked as both of them went for the kitchen.

**_"Awkward as always. They're still here by the way," _**Draco informed him.

Harry gave a sidelong glance at his partner. **_"Do you think I should make myself scarce?"_**

Draco chuckled lightly. **_"No, I don't think you should. Just give Jade a bit of time... you'll have to get used to the fact that she's a walking signboard of emotion."_**

Harry smiled crookedly and tickled the pear in the fruit bowl to reveal the secret entrance to the kitchen.

**********

****

In the Malfoy-Potter personal quarters.

Jade nervously accepted the basket of freshly baked chocolate cake from Harry just as Dobby appeared with a tray carrying hot and refreshing coffee. 

"You don't have to feel uncomfortable around us, you know," Harry whispered into Jade's ear. She looked up at him, briefly startled by his (correct) observation.

"I'm sorry — I'll try to be more considerate to you," she said earnestly.

"Don't be. It may be wrong of me to ask, but … how can you still love _him_ even after knowing what he has done?" Harry looked at her solemnly.

Jade sighed and glanced at her husband who was deep in conversation with Draco, before gazing up at the young wizard. "To tell you the truth, I really have no idea why. It may be a weakness but I do not let his past actions affect my feelings for him." Even as she said it, Harry felt insecurity from the witch.

"He loves you too, you know," he said without thinking.

"Oh…" She blinked her eyes several times as she contemplated Harry's words.

The witch approached the square table and Lucius looked up at her with an amused expression. She scowled, wondering what she had done to cause his mirth. Harry sat next to his husband and poured coffee for everyone while Jade helped to serve the cake. If Jade was uncomfortable in Harry's presence, it only mirrored the way that he felt sitting across Lucius. 

"I know that look," Jade mentioned to Draco. She turned to Lucius. "No more biting from you." 

"Biting?" Lucius looked at her innocently. 

"You very damn well know what I mean." His wife made a face. She was about to say something about her husband's keen interest in waging a sarcastic verbal war with Harry when the door burst open and two excited kids ran in.

"Harry! Draco! Uncle Wintermoon!" John and Anna were jumping up and down in excitement. "Aunt Jade! We have letters!!!" the twins shouted in triumph, hands waving their envelopes.

Draco laughed at the youngsters. "Of course you received letters," he said and Lucius snickered at his son's rather remarkable imitation of him. "But why waste paper at all?"

"Traditions," Jade muttered and tried to make the twins sit on the stools she had conjured.

"So the two of you have been invited to study here?" Harry asked gently and the twins nodded again.

"I can't wait till Father and Dad take us to Diagon Alley! We're going to have wands!" Anna flung herself on Harry and Jade sighed at her failure.

"Speaking of your parents; aren't they coming down?" Jade asked curiously.

"They're spending their free time before dinner together," John informed them without blinking an eye.

"Well then," Jade exchanged a sly grin with Lucius, "you kids stay out of their chambers, all right?"

The twins laughed and began eating the chocolate cake. While John listened attentively to the conversation between Jade, Lucius and Draco, Anna carefully wiped her mouth with a napkin and whispered to Harry.

"Big bro?"

Harry diverted his attention to his little sister and was taken aback at her troubled expression. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course, Anna. Come on — let's take a walk to the lake."

**_"Drake _**—**_"_** But his husband waved him off, so Harry and his sister walked out of the room. They didn't speak even as they stepped out of the castle and the wizard chose a tranquil spot near the lake.

Harry sat down on the grass, plucked a stalk from the ground and began playing with it. He felt Anna hesitate before sitting beside him. She raised her knees and settled her chin atop them while she looked at the rippling surface of the water. He waited for a few more minutes before breaking the silence.

"Anna, what is it?" he asked, concerned with the young girl's emotional state.

"It's Father. He hasn't been himself for the past few days," the girl answered solemnly.

"I've felt it too, but I'm not sure why either," Harry admitted. In an attempt to lighten the mood, he joked by saying that she was being too observant. She made a face but began brooding again a minute later.

_Well … so much for trying to distract her._ Harry smiled faintly.

"Were you two very close? Before Father adopted us or before you got married?"

Harry wasn't sure why he felt so surprised at the question. He nodded and turned his focus back to the lake. He thought about his relationship with Sev. It wasn't strained but it didn't feel like it normally did either. _How many times have I caught him trying to say something to me and then distract himself with something else just as quickly?_ Now he began to feel frustrated too.

"I think Father misses you." Anna's voice interrupted his thoughts. Then she sighed loudly. "Well, I'm not sure if that is right. I'm going back to wash up. Father won't like it if he sees grass stains on my robes." She crawled over and kissed Harry before bounding off. 

Harry laid down and stared up at the sky, trying to think of ways to bring himself closer to Sev again. He must have dozed off because he suddenly saw Draco leaning above him. _Nice thighs for a pillow… _He willingly opened his mouth so that Draco could kiss him.

**_"You shouldn't fall asleep out here. Only Merlin knows what would happen if some students decided to prank you." _**The silver-eyed wizard stroked his hair gently.

Harry smiled, coloring a little with embarrassment. **_"What time is it?"_**

"Probably close to seven." 

**_"Then I think we ought to go before _**—**_"_**

They moved too slowly however and a Ravenclaw couple spotted them. The students didn't seem to mind; the girl actually gave Harry and Draco a broad wink before breaking eye contact.

**_"That girl reminds me of Ginny."_**

"You miss them," Harry said shrewdly.

**_"Of course I miss them, right down to Ron."_**

"Fancy hearing you say that." Harry was forcibly reminded of his younger days when Draco smacked his head with a newspaper. 

**********

****

Wednesday, 9th June.

It was his birthday but he didn't really feel very happy. Sev looked around at his extended family — right down to the wizard who had tried to present him on a silver platter to Voldemort on numerous occasions. The exams were about to start but his family had managed to squeeze in a bit of time for a private celebration. 

_Maybe that's it. The exams seem to overshadow everything else and their attention isn't really on me. _He suppressed a sigh and looked at his godson fondly. Harry was seated beside Remus and the two of them were going through the supply list, crossing out items that the twins wouldn't need to buy. His eyes fell on Lucius. Draco's father was content enough to have his wife sit on his lap — though Jade looked a little embarrassed.

_He behaves like a goddamn gentleman. I never saw him act this way with Narcissa._ Sev shook his head a little and the tiny box in his hand brought him out of his reverie. He realized he hadn't opened any of his gifts. He felt disappointment well up in him again. Harry had not given him anything. He wondered why he was beginning to care about such trivial matters.

The hours dwindled into late evening and his husband shooed their children off to bed just as Lucius and his wife stood to retire for the night. Finally, only he, Harry and Draco were left in the dungeon chamber.

Draco hugged him briefly and muttered goodnight before exiting. Sev tried hard to shield his feelings and mask his facial expression. _It wouldn't do to have him know that I was expecting something from him._

"Goodnight Sev," Harry spoke softly and pulled him into an embrace. They stayed like that for several minutes. The older wizard stroked his godson's hair gently and kissed his forehead before releasing Harry. 

He felt immensely better after the hug and said his goodnight to Harry with a real smile.

**********

****

In Malfoy-Potter's bedroom.

_There's absolutely no doubt. Sev's disappointed that I didn't get him a gift. _Harry dried his hair with a towel while watching his husband getting the bed ready for them.

"Just what are you up to anyway?" Draco asked him, though it was a little muffled as his head went under the bed.

"Nothing," Harry answered innocently. "What are you looking for?" He sauntered over to his husband. 

"I thought I saw something under there — ah, here it is!" Draco exclaimed and threw two familiar looking black packets on the bed. Harry picked one up and sat on the bed. His husband followed a second later.

"Isn't this what the twins gave me as a birthday present? I'd completely forgotten about them!" Harry's eyes were wide.

"Do you want to try them?" Draco inquired. 

"Don't they expire after nine years?" Harry was a little doubtful.

"Let's try one anyway." The pale-haired wizard reached for his wand on the small table. "What was the spell that Fred said we should use?"

"I think it was a Light Spell," Harry said.

"Well then." Draco set the tip of his wand on the center of one of the packets and muttered, _"Lumos."_

At first, nothing happened, then Harry felt something stir inside the room. Draco's mouth dropped in shock when their bed suddenly began to expand and transform. When it stopped, Harry was close to shouting his relief aloud. They had thought that the packet would have included monsters but there were no such creatures. 

"Merlin…" Draco rose from the cushion plant — their bed had been transformed into several rounded lumps of lush green carpet.

"Gods … I can't believe Fred and George could create something like this," Harry agreed, looking around at the scenery. It appeared as if they were in the middle of some forgotten fairy forest. There were flowers blooming and the air smelled faintly of snow, dew and pine trees at the same time. It was also cold but not to the point where his husband would be uncomfortable. 

"Did we lock our chamber?" Draco asked suddenly and Harry nodded in response.

Harry saw that his wand was just beside his husband's foot and he quickly reached for it. Draco was already walking and exploring everything within sight. _The twins must have also included something that expands space because I know that our bed isn't this spacious._ They walked around for several minutes more. _I do hope that when the spell wears off, we'll still be on the bed._

Harry soon began to tire and he sat on one of the cushion plants. While Draco knelt to look at a purple flower, Harry examined at the landscape. An inviting patch of lush green carpet caught his eye and the longer he stared at it, the more lusty he felt. _That's a good place for Drake to do a little striptease. _He hardened at the thought. _Did the twins happen to incorporate something akin to an aphrodisiac in their merchandise too?_ He no longer cared about that when all he could picture was throwing his husband on the flat ground and … He shuddered and realized that Draco was staring at him. The Slytherin slowly licked his lips; Harry felt hot, and wriggled a little on the ground. However, he wanted to do much more. 

He decided to approach his husband. Draco looked flushed and he was breathing rather heavily. Harry slowly let his robes fall from his shoulders and stood exposed before his husband. "Draco…" he managed to whisper before his husband grabbed him and began kissing him fiercely. 

_Someday … have to thank … twins. Bloody brilliant…_Then he couldn't think as he knelt before his husband, parting the blue robes and licking the blonde-haired wizard all over.

**********

****

Sunday, 19th June 2005. Evening. Great Hall.

Harry had felt nervous the whole day. He had been waiting for this day ever since his talk with Anna by the lake. _But am I doing the right thing? _He fretted constantly, causing his husband to glance at him several times during dinner. _No, I shouldn't have second thoughts. It **is** the right thing to do _—_ I should have done it years ago._

Harry Potter was nervous, not because of the confession that he was about to make to Sev, but rather his godfather's response. Therefore, the young wizard resolutely waited for the right moment to surprise the Potions Master. Hours passed but still, Harry told himself that the moment wasn't right. When he realized that it was already late and their evening together would soon end, he gathered all the courage he could still find in him. The Hall gradually grew silent as students returned to their dormitories.

Harry quickly sprang to his feet when he saw that Sev was about to rise. His godfather looked at him in surprise but it quickly turned into suspicion. The young wizard scanned the Hall again and smiled when it became evident that only his family was around.

"Spit it out boy," Sev growled and Harry was cowed suddenly by the wizard's annoyance.

_Should I do it? What if it isn't enough? Should I have gotten him a present? _Thoughts whirled inside Harry's mind. _Bloody hell … I should just get it done with. I can die of embarrassment later._

He impulsively hugged the older wizard and was rewarded with a sensation of extreme surprise. Harry made sure that his godfather felt his happiness through the body contact as well. He didn't pay attention to his other family members, but concentrated his focus solely on the one wizard that had guided him through his teenage life and into adulthood. 

When Harry pulled back, he was a little shocked to see that Sev was actually stunned. The young wizard grinned and kissed both of his godfather's cheeks. "Happy Father's Day... Father."

There; he had said it and what he felt coming from himself and Sev was beyond words. Harry was glad that he had stuck to his plan for the look on his godfather — no, not his godfather any longer but, his father — the look on his face made him feel loved and also gave him a sense of belonging.

**********

Sev was stunned speechless. _Is there something wrong with my hearing? _Harry's hands still held on to his elbows and Sev searched the young man's face.

**_"No, there is nothing wrong with your hearing."_** That was Harry. Sev had forgotten that he could hear and speak if Harry was touching him.

**_"But _**—**_"_ **His protest sounded weak even to him.

**_"But nothing, Father. I am glad that I am finally able to call you that." _**Again, Harry smiled brightly at him. **_"I think that is what you have always been."_**

Sev literally felt the bond change between him and the young wizard. _What would Sirius think? _By the expression on Harry's face, the young wizard had not expected to feel any magic just because he had accepted the Potions Master as his father. But there was magic — flowing between them steadily and they felt a 'click' in the back of their minds.

"Thus the circle has been sealed, stable and it will never part."

Trelawney's voice startled him and he stared dumbly at the seer. "Your family is now complete, Severus." Then she left, walking serenely out of the Hall.

_I will not cry,_ he told himself in determination. His resolve was broken when Harry embraced him again and Sev couldn't agree more with the Divination professor. He no longer felt isolated from Harry and the fact that he was able to love the younger wizard as his own flesh and blood was the best reward he could ever have hoped for in his life. His eyes blurred and he closed them. Then he felt Anna and John join the embrace. Remus's hand came to rest on his shoulder and he felt Draco clasping the other one.

_A family. A family that I can love freely…_

**"And you have a family that loves you_."_**

*********

The Headmaster watched the group with a satisfied smile. He couldn't help but feel happy that one whose past had been so bitter had finally found the sweetness of life. _I suppose that everything happens for a reason, right down to Severus's life debt to James. _A rush of cold air signaled the old wizard that he wasn't alone.

"What do you think about this, Sirius?" he asked the wraith bluntly.

__

"I don't at all, Headmaster. All of them got what they deserved — except for Lucius perhaps. If that witch hadn't fallen in love with him, I think Moody would have secretly pulled him into the Death realm."

"Hmmmm…" Dumbledore looked back at Sev and decided that love, was indeed a powerful tool.

_"And a gift,"_ Sirius added softly.

**********

****

~ THE END ~

**Firesword:**

Well, it is the end of Transcendence people. Thanks to those who had reviewed and I hoped you have enjoyed reading this fic as much as I did in writing the twenty chapters. Love you all. ****


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